- A method for the bioclimatic intervention in Portugal    1111 kb by    Granadeiro Cortesão, João & Brandão Alves, Fernando &, Patterson, Joanne & Monteiro, Ana &, Madureira, Helena | granadeirocortesao@gmail.com    Short Outline This article discusses a simplified method towards the bioclimatic intervention in Portugal focusing on summer thermal conditions, intensified by the urban heat island and considering urban renewal targeted to pedestrian cities. Abstract A particular aim of contemporary urban renewal is to develop the cities’ public space to be more pedestrian. Bearing in mind the urban heat island, microclimate optimization is crucial to ensure the success of this urban renewal, as it will interfere with human thermal comfort and, as such, in the use of public spaces. Focusing on summer thermal conditions under the urban heat island and aiming the urban renewal processes, this article discusses a possible simplified methodology towards the bioclimatic intervention in Portuguese consolidated urban structures. This proposal is built upon a pragmatic understanding on how, within the urban canopy layer, the relationship between a space’s climatic and morphologic characteristics influences outdoors thermal comfort during summer, and therefore the space’s usage, mitigating or not the urban heat island’s additional impacts on people. In order to illustrate this relationship, a study over two public spaces in Porto has been carried out, developing a previously used qualitative analysis. The correlation of results from climatic information from meteorological stations, previous studies on Porto’s urban heat island, main urban design bioclimatic parameters, local climatic measurements and surveys, namely a space’s morphological characterization and inquiries to its users has taken place. Identification and quantification of the positive aspects of the space to be developed as well as the negative ones to be improved to ensure human thermal comfort. From this correlation the fundamentals for a simplified methodology are suggested. Finally, this methodology might be used in other cities of the Portuguese Continental territory, through the adaptation of the study variables to each context. Keywords Urban environment, urban heat island, microclimate, thermal comfort, urban design, Portugal Case Study presented on the ISOCARP Congress 2009: Low Carbon Cities   Click to open the full paper as pdf document   Click to send an email to the author(s) of this paper