Abstract
Urban growth, accompanied by increased built-up density and reduced green cover, poses significant challenges in the context of climate change and the rising threat of urban heat stress. The rise in impervious surfaces and the decline of vegetation and water bodies contribute significantly to elevated urban temperatures and heat stress. Understanding the relationship between transformations in the built environment and vegetation, and their effects on the thermal environment, is essential for developing effective mitigation and climate adaptation strategies in urban planning and design. This study presents an empirical assessment of thermal comfort conditions with changing microclimate in an urban area by gathering quantitative evidence of changing temperature profiles and evolving built mass and tree cover within a 7-acre institutional campus under the jurisdiction of the Sambalpur Municipal Corporation, Odisha. Two temporal scenarios, 2004 and 2022, were analyzed using ENVI-met V4.4.6 to simulate microclimatic conditions under varying configurations of built mass and vegetation cover. Findings reveal a measurable increase in surface temperatures corresponding with an extension in built-up areas and a decline in green cover. However, areas that retained tree cover exhibited relatively stable thermal conditions, even with increased built mass, underlining the moderating effect of vegetation on microclimates. The study has significant implications for designing climate-sensitive built spaces and targeted greening interventions to improve thermal comfort and resilience in urban settings. The results provide evidence-based insights to guide climate-responsive urban design and planning strategies, especially in institutional and campus-scale developments.
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