Greening the arid: the impact of urban vegetation on the outdoor thermal comfort in hot and dry city

This article examines the impact of urban vegetation on outdoor thermal comfort in the hot and dry city of Biskra, Algeria. The study employs the ENVI-met model to simulate various vegetation arrangement scenarios and evaluate their effectiveness in improving microclimate parameters and thermal comfort. The results show that the scenario with the densest and most extensive vegetation cover (90% of the sample area) provided the greatest reduction in air temperature, mean radiant temperature, and duration of severe thermal stress, compared to the baseline scenario with minimal vegetation. However, even the best-performing scenario did not achieve a thermally comfortable outdoor environment, likely due to the heat-absorbing properties of the asphalt ground and the reduced wind speeds caused by the dense vegetation. The study highlights the importance of considering vegetation type, cover density, and strategic placement in urban planning to mitigate the harsh climatic conditions in hot and dry cities like Biskra.