• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.23-32
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• 2010

The purpose of this study is to quantify human energy budgets for different structures of outdoor spatial surfaces affecting thermal comfort, to analyze the impacts of tree shading on building energy savings, and to suggest desirable strategies of urban greenspace planning concerned. Concrete paving and grass spaces without tree shading and compacted-sand spaces with tree shading were selected to reflect archetypal compositional types for outdoor spatial materials. The study then estimated human energy budgets in static activity for the 3 space types. Major determinants of energy budgets were the presence of shading and also the albedo and temperature of base surfaces. The energy budgets for concrete paving and grass spaces without tree shading were $284\;W/m^2$ and $226\;W/m^2$, respectively, and these space types were considerably poor in thermal comfort. Therefore, it is desirable to construct outdoor resting spaces with evapotranspirational shade trees and natural materials for the base plane. Building energy savings from tree shading for the case of Daegu in the southern region were quantified using computer modeling programs and compared with a previous study for Chuncheon in the middle region. Shade trees planted to the west of a building were most effective for annual savings of heating and cooling energy. Plantings of shade trees in the south should be avoided, because they increased heating energy use with cooling energy savings low in both climate regions. A large shade tree in the west and east saved cooling energy by 1~2% across building types and regions. Based on previous studies and these results, some strategies including indicators for urban greenspace planning were suggested to improve thermal comfort of outdoor spaces and to save energy use in indoor spaces. These included thermal comfort in construction materials for outdoor spaces, building energy savings through shading, evapotranspiration and windspeed mitigation by greenspaces, and greenspace areas and volume for air-temperature reductions. In addition, this study explored the application of the strategies to greenspace-related regulations to ensure their effectiveness.