Urban Microclimate Modeling with ENVI-met: A Review on Green Infrastructure and Climate-Responsive Urban Design

In recent years, as the effects of global climate change have begun to be felt more in cities, the temperature in cities has increased and thermal comfort has decreased. In cities facing these problems, nature-based strategies in the form of green infrastructure applications and sustainable urban design approaches stand out in improving microclimatic conditions. ENVI-met is a three-dimensional simulation model widely used to perform microclimatic analyses and evaluate the thermal effects of green areas, planting types and surface coverings in line with various scenarios. In this compilation study, what ENVI-met software is, its data entry requirements, limitations, advantages and disadvantages, current academic studies conducted using ENVI-met software have been examined and the effects of different planting strategies, green infrastructure elements in the form of green roofs, urban afforestation and material choices on urban microclimate have been evaluated. The findings show that ENVI-met is effective in predicting the effects of different design alternatives on microclimate, especially in small-scale urban areas, and that the heat effect can be reduced in cities with green infrastructure scenarios, and that it has a high potential to provide shading and increase thermal comfort. However, the disadvantages of the model such as the calibration process, insufficient local climate data, simulation time and limited plant database should also be taken into account. In conclusion, this study emphasizes that ENVI-met modeling is a powerful tool for urban climate-friendly designs, and also draws attention to the importance of green infrastructure strategies in sustainable planning processes. It is recommended that future research test the applicability of the model in different climate zones and larger-scale projects.