Urban Microclimate (GY)

  • This team is paused for the Fall '24 semester and will not run during this time.

City skyline against orange and yellow horizon in semicircle

The purpose of this project is the quantitative assessment of human exposure to the ambient urban microclimate. Using NYU’s Metrotech campus in Downtown Brooklyn, this project will use the parameters associated with the physiological equivalent temperature (PET) index through measurements sand numerical simulations. Measurements will include thermal imagery (ground-based, airborne, and space-borne satellite imagery), weather stations located on the ground and building roof-tops, as well as human biometrics. The project will also consider the experience of vulnerable populations and places most affected by microclimate extremes, and speculate on the potential effects of design interventions. Case studies and possible field observations include the island of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

Methods/Technology

  • Human Geography
  • Urban Thermodynamics
  • Geospatial Data and Modeling
  • Computational Fluid Dynamics
  • Speculative Design

Majors/Areas of Interest

  • Computing and Data Science
  • Public Health
  • Environmental Sciences
  • Civil and Mechanical Engineering
  • Technology, Society, and Digital Media
  • Virtual Prototyping
  • Urban Science
  • Systems Science
  • Physics
  • Photography

Research, Design, or Technical Issues Involved or Addressed

  • Climate Action
  • Virtual Modeling of Urban Form (digital twins)
  • Spaceborne and Drone Thermal Imaging
  • Micro-climate Simulations
  • Public Health
  • Urban Design Intervention

Sub-Teams

  • Diedre- People and Design
  • Vivaldi- Data and Informatics
  • Matthias- Models and Microclimate

Partners

  • City Lab

Related Grand Challenges

  • Big Data and application of high performance computing
  • Quantitative assessment of human exposure

Faculty Advisor

PhD Students- Urban Systems