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Below Canopy Meteorological Measurements at Three Florida Sites with Varying Tree Cover and Development
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Date
2000
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Energy Systems Laboratory (http://esl.tamu.edu)
Texas A&M University (http://www.tamu.edu)
Texas A&M University (http://www.tamu.edu)
Abstract
Residential demand for air conditioning is
strongly impacted by the surrounding ambient air
temperature. Research over several decades has documented
the progressive impact of urban heat islands
on summer temperatures in the built environment.
However, less research has examined how the heat
island is impacted by the more localized meteorological
environment. How does suburban development
and tree canopy cover impact micro-climates in
a suburban environment? This has implications, both
for preserving trees within recently constructed
developments, as well as the potential impact of tree
planting programs.
To address this question, temperature measurements
were made over a one year period at three
Melbourne, Florida sites. The results showed a
forested nature park of 19 hectares to be consistently
cooler during both summer days and nights than a
residential development of 9 hectares and density of
4.6 houses per hectare with an extensive tall tree
canopy, which, in turn, was consistently cooler than a
residential development of 37 hectares and density of
10.1 houses per hectare with very few trees. The
average July air temperatures for the forested
undeveloped site, residential site with trees, and
residential site without bees measured at the project's
main stations were 26.2.26.9 and 27.8" respectively
at a 2.5-meter height and 26.7.27.0 and 27.7OC respectively
at a 9-meter height. The 2.5-meter temperature
differences were greater than 1°C between the
two residential sites 93% of the time when both sites
had wind speeds greater than 0.5 m/s. Secondary.
remote temperature sensors grouped around the main
stations in each of the three sites to account for
spacial variability registered even larger temperature
differences than sensors at the main stations. Mobile
measurements were made on two summer days, with
good agreement with the main stations. The mobile
measurement made on a sunny day indicated significant
localized warming at commercial sites adjacent
to the residential development with trees.