Analysis of natural ventilation according to master plans: research results in Belem, PA

Abstract

Urban design and territorial planning can be key factors in the environmental behaviour of constructed spaces. Among the different climate variables influenced by urban standards, the wind has a crucial importance. The wind flow speed is changed by urban occupation and densification. One of the tools available to study and predict wind flow is the physical space modelling software and computational fluid dynamic analysis, also known as CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics). The aim of this paper is to analyse wind flow in the central area of Belem, PA (Brazil), considering the urban planning prescriptions related to the Master Plans of 1993 and 2008. The method chosen in the study was CFD simulations. The results showed that urban densification and reduced indents between buildings are the biggest obstacles to wind flow in the simulated scenarios. These obstacles reduce wind speed and its ventilation potential, and are associated with the influence of the shape and orientation of buildings on the airflow conditions in urban areas.

Keywords:
Natural ventilation urban. Belém; PA. CFD modeling