ENVI-met, a holistic microclimate simulation tool from One Click LCA, allows urban planners to model environmental factors at a local level, equipping them with insights for tackling heat-related issues in urban design.
This article explores how ENVI-met’s simulation capabilities contribute to addressing critical health challenges in urban design.
ENVI-met’s range of simulation features enables designers to tackle urban health challenges through targeted, data-informed strategies. Here’s how ENVI-met’s core capabilities contribute to human health and well-being:
High temperatures in urban environments — especially in high-density areas — can increase the risk of heat-related illnesses and make outdoor spaces less usable. ENVI-met models both shortwave and longwave radiation, helping identify urban heat islands and areas where shading or cooling interventions are needed.
By simulating nature-based solutions, like green roofs and vegetative shading, ENVI-met supports strategies that naturally lower temperatures, providing relief from extreme heat and reducing dependency on energy-intensive cooling systems. It can also analyze how surface types, such as facades and roofs, differ in sun exposure throughout the day, enabling more precise cooling interventions.
Air pollution poses significant health risks, particularly in urban areas where traffic and industrial emissions are high. ENVI-met’s pollutant dispersion feature models the movement of gases and particles, allowing designers to evaluate how pollutants spread through an area. By identifying where pollutants may accumulate, ENVI-met enables urban planners to strategically place green spaces, which act as natural filters, and manage wind flow to disperse pollutants. These insights are crucial for creating healthier, more breathable environments.
Thermal comfort is influenced by a variety of factors such as temperature, air humidity, sun exposure, and airflow. ENVI-met calculates thermal comfort indices such as the Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET) and Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI), which enable a detailed assessment of how people perceive climate in different settings. With these insights, designers can optimize building orientation, landscaping, and materials to improve thermal comfort, encouraging outdoor activities and social interactions even during warmer periods. ENVI-met’s dynamic thermal comfort assessment can model the comfort of people moving through urban spaces, adding a new layer of detail to comfort analysis.
The tool also assesses how buildings impact wind patterns, crucial for minimizing wind hazards at street level. Skyscrapers, for example, have amplified wind effects in cities like Toronto and Leeds, raising pedestrian safety concerns. ENVI-met's 3D computational fluid dynamics model provides detailed wind flow analysis, which can highlight where wind is slowed by obstacles or redirected by building layouts. By using ENVI-met, planners can design safer, more resilient urban spaces to address wind challenges.
Real-world projects demonstrate ENVI-met’s impact on health-centered urban design:
For more information on how ENVI-met can support healthier urban design, visit ENVI-met from One Click LCA.