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Center for Nonlinear Studies |
Abstract: In her talk, Dr. Middel will provide an overview of her desert urban climate research, covering projects that involve field work and modeling at the micro-scale and neighborhood scale – the most relevant scales for urban planning. After reviewing heat mitigation strategies based on urban vegetation, form, and design, her colloquium talk will focus on a recent study that investigates the impact of photovoltaic canopy shade on thermal comfort through meteorological observations and surveys at a pedestrian mall on Arizona State University's Tempe campus. Results of this study show that shade plays an important role in designing pedestrian-friendly outdoor spaces in hot desert cities, highlighting the importance of active solar access management to reduce thermal stress. The presentation will conclude with an outlook on future thermal comfort and heat mitigation research. Biography: Ariane Middel's primary research interests are directed toward understanding the dynamics of urban climate to develop climate adaptation and heat mitigation strategies, specifically addressing the challenges of sustainable urban form, design, and landscapes in the face of climatic uncertainty in rapidly urbanizing regions. For the past five years, she has advanced the field of urban climatology through applied and solutions-oriented research employing urban, local, and microscale climate modeling and monitoring to investigate sustainability challenges related to Urban Heat Islands, thermal comfort, water use and quality, energy use, and human-climate interactions in cities. Dr. Middel is currently an Assistant Research Professor in the School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning. She received her Ph.D. in Computer Science (visualization) from University of Kaiserslautern, Germany and holds a M.Sc./B.Sc. in Geodetic Engineering from the University of Bonn, Germany.
Host: Stephan Eidenbenz