AVALIAÇÃO DO CONFORTO TÉRMICO PROPORCIONADO POR TRÊS EXEMPLARES VEGETAIS EM CICLOVIA DE GOIÂNIA-GO

Abstract

Trees in urban environments are accountable for providing shade for pedestrians and vehicles, reducing the incidence of radiation on urban soil, improving thermal comfort, in addition to aesthetic balance, among others. This study aims to quantify thermal comfort improvement generated by different plant specimens for shading a cycleway in Goiânia - GO. Methodology applied: (a) description of the local climate; (b) selection of measurement sites; (c) field data collection; (d) evaluation of thermal comfort provided at the measurement sites. Goiânia has a tropical savanna climate, with hot and dry and hot and humid seasons. An experimental study was carried out in two different scenarios on the cycle path of Universitária Ave.: one with Guariroba palm trees - Syagrus oleracea (mart.) Becc - and the other with Sibipiruna trees - Cenostigma pluviosum (DC) E. Gagmon & GP, Lewis- and Monguba - Pachira aquatica Aubl. The data collected were: air temperature, globe temperature, air relative humidity and wind speed through a multifunctional thermal stress meter on four sunny days at 8 a.m., 10 a.m., 12 a.m., 2 p.m.; 4 p.m. during the summer, under the shade of plants and in the sun. The RayMan software was used to calculate the thermal comfort indices PET (Physiological Equivalent Temperature) and UTCI (Universal Thermal Climate Index) and to analyze the influence of obstacles in the immediate surroundings. Results showed that the species that brought the most comfort was Sibipiruna specie. It reduced the air temperature by up to 6.8o C and the average radiant temperature reduction was up to 8.4o C. For cyclists the heat reduction in PET terms was 11oC and in UTCI, 8.5o C. In terms of relative air humidity, the greatest increase of 7.4% was observed in the shade of the Monguba specie. This study points out that isolated tree has its thermal benefits as well as clusters of palm trees, of the Guariroba specie, but the benefits provided by the cluster of Sibipiruna specie are much greater, more effectively reducing the negative effects of heat islands. It is concluded that the morphological characteristics among plant specimens generate different shading areas, distinctly influencing the microclimate.