Confort térmico estival en espacios verdes de la ciudad de Bahía Blanca (Argentina)

Abstract

El acelerado crecimiento de las ciudades refuerza el fenómeno de Isla de Calor Urbana causando un incremento de las temperaturas y junto con ello el disconfort térmico de los habitantes, que en algunos casos se traduce en problemas de salud. Frente a este escenario es clave considerar, dentro de la planificación urbana, la vegetación como una de las Soluciones basadas en la Naturaleza ya que cumple un rol esencial en la mitigación de las temperaturas elevadas.El objetivo del trabajo es analizar el confort térmico estival en un espacio verde de la localidad de Bahía Blanca (Argentina) y para ello se ha seleccionado la plaza del Algarrobo. En primer lugar, se llevó a cabo un censo de árboles para conocer las especies vegetales, su cantidad y distribución. En segundo lugar, se realizaron mediciones y se compararon datos de temperatura del aire durante el verano 2021-2022, mediante dos termohigrómetros localizados, uno en el centro de la ciudad y el otro en la plaza y se obtuvo el Índice de Temperatura-Humedad (ITH). Por último, se relevó la percepción del confort térmico por parte de los visitantes de la plaza a través de una encuesta.

The rapid growth of cities reinforces the Urban Heat Island phenomenon, causing an increase in temperatures and, along with it, thermal discomfort for residents, which in some cases translates into health problems. In this scenario, it is key to consider vegetation as one of the Nature-Based Solutions within urban planning, as it plays an essential role in mitigating elevated temperatures. The aim of this work is to analyze summer thermal comfort in a green space in the city of Bahía Blanca (Argentina), for which the Algarrobo Square has been selected. First, a tree census was conducted to identify the plant species, their quantities, and distribution. Secondly, measurements were taken and air temperature data was compared during the summer of 2021-2022 using two thermohygrometers located in the center and in the plaza, and the Temperature-Humidity Index (THI) was obtained. Finally, the perception of comfort among plaza visitors was assessed through a survey. As a result, 507 tree specimens belonging to 88 plant species were identified. It was found that the temperature difference between both sites was 1 ºC in both average and absolute values. Additionally, from theapplication of the index, 56 days of comfort were recorded in the plaza, in contrast to the 33 days detected in the central area. Furthermore, the surveys established that 100% of the visitors recognized the importance of green spaces in improving thermal comfort, especially in summer. People experience a pleasant thermal sensation under the canopy of trees in the plaza compared to the surrounding area, perceiving that the temperature difference is moderate to high.