Microclimatic analysis as a prerequisite for sustainable urbanisation: Application for an urban regeneration project for a medium size city in the greater urban agglomeration of Athens, Greece

Integrating sustainability in urban design is a prerequisite for adequately addressing the urban challenges related to climate change, resource availability, environmental degradation and energy consumption. For the integration to be well formulated, urban planners need comprehensive microclimatic information at adequate spatial and temporal scales so as to define the bioclimatic design targets of the urban area concerned. In this study a medium size city (Acharnes, built at the southern foothills of Mt Parnitha, at a distance of 10 km north of Athens) is examined in terms of its thermal characteristics and the resulting thermal comfort conditions in municipal open spaces. Results show significant thermal loads for specific city areas as well as use of materials which result in adverse thermal conditions and in poor thermal comfort. On the basis of the results, specific guidelines are defined for the sustainable urbanisation of the city of Acharnes, in particular for an urban regeneration project concentrated at the centre of the city. The approach reflects a pattern which may be well applied in cities of respective size and urban characteristics and in similar climatic zones. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.