Parametric Analysis of Tree Canopy Density and Vegetation Cover on Thermal Comfort and Wind Flow in Urban Green Areas

The presence of vegetation in urban green areas is a factor that helps minimize urban environmental and human health problems. This study aimed to analyze the effect of different vegetation types and tree densities in green areas on thermal comfort and outdoor wind speed in a city with a tropical savanna climate. Computer simulations were used with the ENVI-Met software (version 5.1.1envi), with hypothetical scenarios where central green areas present different tree species defined by the Leaf Area Index (LAI), forming compositions calculated by different Vegetation Cover Indices (VCI). The results showed that scenarios with dense canopy tree vegetation (combined or not with sparse canopy species) and scenarios with the highest vegetation cover densities showed the greatest reductions in Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET) values, while wind speed did not show a simple direct correlation with PET, although a diurnal relationship with the analyzed densities was observed. In light of the above, it was found that promoting thermal comfort outdoors requires prioritizing the maximization of vegetation cover so as not to create physical barriers to wind flow, especially in the afternoon.