Influence of Building Density on Outdoor Thermal Environment of Residential Area in Cities with Different Climatic Zones in China—Taking Guangzhou, Wuhan, Beijing, and Harbin as Examples

Outdoor wind and thermal environments in residential areas are greatly affected by the distance between buildings. A short distance is conducive to providing shade, and a long distance can enhance ventilation between buildings. In this study, four cities with different latitudes in China (Guangzhou, Wuhan, Beijing, and Harbin) were selected to research the relationship between the distance between buildings and thermal environments of residential areas. The results show that (1) when the distance between buildings is small, it is easier for wind paths to form. Wind paths can strengthen the wind velocity. When the distance between buildings exceeds 40–50 m, the building density is small, the building’s resistance to the wind becomes smaller and smaller, and the wind speed will gradually increase. (2) When the distance is in the range of 20–50 m, the MRT (mean radiant temperature) rise rate of each city is similar. For every 10 m increase in the distance between buildings, the MRT increases by about 1.25 °C. (3) D = 50 m (D/H = 1.19) is an inflection point. When D is less than 50 m, within the range of 20–50 m, the smaller the D is, the lower the SET* (standard effective temperature) is, while when D is more than 50 m, the opposite trend is observed.

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