The Study of the Relationships between Building Arrangements and Climatic Comfort

Abstract

The Abu Dhabi Master Plan 2030 is the UAE government’s vision to establish Abu Dhabi as an international capital city and is based on sustainable development principles. The master plan includes several districts with distinct characteristics: a business district, capital district, Emirati residential district, etc., where landmarks, generally located around plazas and open spaces, are an important component. The actual arrangement of buildings was not proposed in the master plan, and the more detailed design guidelines and orientation were left to be considered in the urban design phase. This research project studies which building arrangement will provide the maximum climatic comfort, not only for the buildings, but also in and around the surrounding open spaces. The goal of this study is to maximize the use of these spaces, by increasing walkability and encouraging social interaction in compliance with the vision of the plan and the sustainable development principles mentioned earlier