The impact of morphological features on summer temperature variations on the example of two residential neighborhoods in Ljubljana, Slovenia

Fikfak, Alenka (author), Kosanović, Saja (author), Konjar, Miha (author), Grom, Janez Peter (author), Zbašnik-Senegačnik, Martina (author)

The study conducted in this paper is focused on a predominantly residential area of the City of Ljubljana—Koseze, which is characterized by generally favorable (bio)climatic conditions. Nonetheless, thermal satellite images showed that residential neighborhoods within the Koseze district display unexpected variations in summer temperatures. This observation called into question the benefits of existing bioclimatic features and indicated the need to investigate and compare two neighborhoods with similar urban parameters, with the aim to identify morphological differential characteristics impacting urban heat island (UHI) intensity. By applying the study methodology based on a literature review, surveys of key precedents, detailed mapping in two Koseze locations, in situ measurements, observations and recordings, thermal imagery, and the analyses of statistical data, as well as by defining the four main categories of morphological urban parameters—structure, cover, fabric and metabolism, it was concluded that both neighborhoods have common morphological elements mitigating the UHI effect. Additionally, it was found that the neighborhood with higher UHI intensity has several less favorable features, such as busier roads, larger surface of parking corridors, and the existence of underground parking space. The traffic as an element of urban morphology hence represents the main cause of differences among UHI levels in the two Koseze neighborhoods.

• Language: English
• Keywords: residential architecture, residential neighborhood, terraced residential neighborhood (TRN), urban metabolism, urban heat island (UHI), urban fabric, urban structure, urban cover, Koseze area, Mostec residential neighborhood (MRN)
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FA - Faculty of Architecture
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2017
• Number of pages: 20 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 9, iss. 1, art. 122
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-131262
• UDC: 728.2
• ISSN on article: 2071-1050
• DOI: 10.3390/su9010122
• COBISS.SI-ID: 3416196
• Publication date in RUL: 24.09.2021

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Sustainability
• Shortened title: Sustainability
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 2071-1050
• COBISS.SI-ID: 5324897

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.
• Licensing start date: 14.01.2017

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: stanovanjska arhitektura, stanovanjsko naselje, terasasto stanovanjsko naselje, urbani metabolizem, urbani toplotni otok, urbano tkivo, urbana struktura, urbana pokrovnost, Koseze, Mostec

Projects

• Funder: Other - Other funder or multiple funders
• Project number: 561675-EPP-1-2015-1-XK-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP
• Name: Creating the Network of Knowledge Labs for Sustainable and Resilient Environments
• Acronym: KLABS

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: P5-0068
• Name: Trajnostno oblikovanje kvalitetnega bivalnega okolja