Microclimate behaviour of sustainable urban schemes proposed for hillside areas versus existing neighbourhoods in the Mendoza Metropolitan Area, Argentina

Abstract

The Metropolitan Mendoza Area (MMA), Argentina, has grown towards peripheral areas over hillside sectors without considering the environmental conditions of the piedmont area. This growth has given continuity to the urban model of flatland development, bringing about modification of the ecosystem and impoverishment of the region's climate resources with the concomitant increase in outdoor air temperatures. The present work evaluates a group of urban schemes oriented to preserve the environmental characteristics of the sector to mitigate the effect of urbanizations on the microclimate. Methodologically, using ENVI-met software, an existing urban scheme, and two urbanization schemes adapted to piedmont conditions were simulated. The proposed grid layouts were linear organic and Cul-de-Sac considering the predominant slopes of the study area (15, 25, and 30%). The results obtained show that the linear organic urbanization grid with public green space allows maximum air temperature reductions of up to 2°C concerning the dominant urbanization scheme in the evaluated area. The results also show that the urbanization of the land with a lower slope is more efficient compared to the higher slopes due to higher land use intensity. Finally, the work highlights the usefulness of microclimatic simulation as a predictive tool to guide urban growth within the framework of sustainable development.