Effect of Vegetation Cover and Shading on Thermal and Visual Comfort in Institutional Campus Outdoor Spaces in India

This paper investigates the phenomenon of Urban Heat Island (UHI) in open spaces that when combined creates a problem at a city level. This paper will primarily focus on institutional campuses, wherein open spaces play a vital role for each and every user for interaction and other purposes. When architects and urban designers deal with the physical properties of a space, and therefore modify its material, thermal, and lighting characteristics, they influence the social environment as well. The method used in this study is the analysis of secondary data available so far. The aim of the study is to understand the UHI phenomenon in urban public spaces and suggest measures that would help mitigate the same and make it a better space in terms of comfort. It includes off-site measurement of climatic conditions on particular given day and observations of student behavior in the public spaces. The result is obtained by ENVImet software simulation in the case study area of DCRUST university campus in Murthal, Haryana. The study area is located in the North part of India and has composite climate. This paper refers to research results showing the comparison of various cases that can be designed in an urban open space and with the help of simulation it shows the best combination to be used and how that combination changes the open space design by improving thermal comfort. It shows that in composite climate, the strategy of implementing thick and heavy foliage vegetation in combination with the water body (such as artificial ponds, swales, pits etc.) causing evaporative cooling that in return enhances the microclimatic environment and visual comfort for pedestrian walkability, usability of the open space and by acting against the anthropogenic heat.