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Wind and the city: An evaluation of San Francisco's planning approach since 1985

Authors
Kim, HyungkyooMacdonald, Elizabeth
Issue Date
Jan-2017
Publisher
SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD
Keywords
Urban form; wind; outdoor comfort; San Francisco; wind tunnel simulation
Citation
ENVIRONMENT AND PLANNING B-URBAN ANALYTICS AND CITY SCIENCE, v.44, no.1, pp.10 - 32
Journal Title
ENVIRONMENT AND PLANNING B-URBAN ANALYTICS AND CITY SCIENCE
Volume
44
Number
1
Start Page
10
End Page
32
URI
https://scholarworks.bwise.kr/hongik/handle/2020.sw.hongik/6207
DOI
10.1177/0265813515607474
ISSN
2399-8083
Abstract
In 1985, San Francisco adopted a downtown plan on ground-level wind currents intended to mitigate the negative effects of wind on pedestrians' perceived comfort in public open spaces. The plan mandates that new buildings in designated parts of the city associated with high density or development potential be designed or adopt measures to not cause wind in excess of accepted comfort levels. This study examines whether and to what degree the plan has successfully shaped an urban form that mitigates wind by comparing the ground-level wind environment in 1985 and 2013. A series of wind tunnel tests found that during San Francisco's windiest season when the westerly winds are prevalent, the overall mean wind speed ratio measured at 318 locations in four areas of the city dropped by 22%. However, there still exist many excessively windy places that are associated with specific urban form conditions, including streets oriented to have direct exposure to westerly winds, flat facades on high-rise buildings, and horizontal street walls where building facades align. Recommendations based on the findings include incorporating more tangible guidance on the built form conditions, expanding the plan's reach to cover more parts of the city, and learning from strategies used elsewhere. By evaluating the urban form impacts of a wind mitigation policy that has been in place for 30 years, the research offers insights for other cities that have implemented or plan to adopt similar approach and sheds light on issues related to wind comfort in high-density urban areas.
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Kim, Hyung kyoo
College of Architecture and Urban Planning (Urban Engineering)
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