Abstract: The authors investigated the environmental disaffects of the mixed and intensive land-use (MILU) urban model that are responsible for the high-rise and high-densities cities of Asia. The compact urban form is associated with environmental consequences such as worsen canyon geometry due to close proximity of built form and urban fabric. Canyons are responsible for the worsening of urban microclimate and aggravation of heat island intensity on building energy consumption. In this study, field measurements of microclimatic conditions due to MILU developments were taken at strategic outdoor locations of concentrated residential areas during the summer months of 2006 and 2007 respectively. It considered and discussed the consequences of design-related variables of open spaces and their effects on the outdoor thermal environment under various high-rise, high-density urban settings. Discussion was made of Hong Kong and Guangzhou, which share a subtropical climate with hot temperatures, but different relative humidity, during the summer months.
Keywords: Hong Kong; Guangzhou; heat islands; high-rise cities; high-density cities; environmental impact; canyon geometry; urban microclimate; building energy consumption; subtropical climate; hot temperatures; relative humidity; built form; urban fabric; China.