Indoor Comfort Implications of Urban Microclimate: Case study of Office Buildings in Colombo

Abstract

The equatorial tropics are experiencing an explosive urban growth. With intensified urbanisation comes a rapid increase in atmospheric carbon, dwindling resources and concerns over energy security. In this context the need to achieve thermal comfort by the adoption of passive strategies assumes a great significance. There is clear evidence to the link between indoor thermal comfort and the urban microclimate. This study is a research initiative that aims at exploring the effects of the urban microclimate on the indoor thermal comfort level. The focus is on office environments along Galle Road, Colombo. The research method initially establishes a representative typology of office buildings along Galle Road, Colombo. The computer simulation tool ENVI-met is used to model the existing urban microclimate and the strategies adopted for its improvement. The simulations establish the base external climatic parameters that effect the indoor environments.The indoor thermal comfort is simulated using DEROB-LTH. The simulated results are presented as comparative ‘Thermal Heat Index’ values.