Modelling / Sustainability
Palm Hill Microclimate Modelling of the Urban Site at New Cairo
Microclimate modelling study using ANSYS to optimize outdoor and indoor human thermal comfort during extreme summer heat waves.
Background
Outdoor thermal comfort in New Cairo during summer heat waves is determined largely by decisions made at master plan stage — building orientation, massing, spacing, shading and landscape. Once those are fixed, very little can be corrected later, so Palm Hills needed the microclimate consequences of layout options quantified while the master plan was still open to change.
Objective
Develop planning strategies that account for local microclimate conditions at the Palm Hills master plan.
Outcome
The study gave the design team quantified evidence on how layout choices affect thermal comfort under worst-case summer conditions, at the stage where changes are still inexpensive. Modelling extreme rather than average conditions is the point — comfort failures happen on the hottest days, not typical ones.
Standards and frameworks applied
- ASHRAE thermal comfort standards
- ISO 7730 — Ergonomics of the thermal environment
- Computational fluid dynamics good practice
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