Measurements and simulation of microclimatic effects of a horizontal hydroponic pergola

Abstract

The microclimate model ENVI-met (V4) was used for predicting the effects of different systems of planted pergolas on the microclimate of an atrium. The model was firstly validated using experimental data and then used for different cases studies. The microclimate measurements were carried in a real construction project of a hydroponic pergola at Kostakii Campus of the Technological Education Institute of Epirus (Arta, Greece). The validation results showed a very good agreement between measured and simulated values of air temperature. The model was used to predict the effects on air temperature (Tair), relative humidity (RH), mean radiant temperature (Tmrt) and Physiologically Equivalent Temperature (PET) when of 0%, 50% and 100% of the atrium horizontal plane area was covered by the planted pergola. The results showed that compared to the case with no pergola in the atrium, covering 100% the atrium area with a planted pergola reduced average Tair up to 0.78 and 1.3 °C during the day and night, respectively, while at the hottest time of day, Tmrt was lowered 29.4 °C and the PET was lowered up to 17.9 °C. © 2015 for this paper by its authors.