Browsing by Author "AL KHAWAJA, SARAH JAMAL"

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    Achieving Sustainable Outdoor Thermal Comfort in the American University of Sharjah Campus
    (The British University in Dubai (BUiD), 2016-09) AL KHAWAJA, SARAH JAMAL
    There are many factors that impact and influence the success of an urban space. Numerous physical and social environment components and location of the given space in the city are all key components that play part. This study however, mainly focuses on one physical environmental aspect known as the thermal environment. Thermal environments are components of physical environments that dictate the human thermal comfort. The control of this comfort is conducted through exchange of energy between the body and its consequent surroundings, and it can generally be stated that it exists in the circumstance that a body can readily sustain a constant and deep temperature of approximately 37°C. Therefore, thermal comfort can be defined as the relationship between the thermal condition and an individual’s awareness of warmth that makes the impression. The study will carry out a comprehensive research on the layout of the American University of Sharjah (AUS) campus in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Multiple data categories will be collected from the campus users through a series of surveys and interviews to obtain an understanding of the site conditions and their comfort levels. Human thermal comfort is an environmental quality that is directly impacted by the outdoor conditions of the university’s campus. It is among some of the most affected qualities of the environment in the urban outdoors. Since the microclimate of AUS is hot humid, the thermal adaptation of the university’s occupants is quite challenging due to exposure to variation air temperatures. Despite the control the outdoor thermal environment being difficult, there is a need to avail thermal comfortable conditions, which are able to cater for the outdoor activities such as walkability, driving, parking, greenery, shades, water features among others. This study is based on investigating the problem of lack of sufficient thermal conditions to facilitate comfort amongst the University’s occupants. It’s aimed at solving this problem by recommending new improvised design elements for the campus’ thermal adaptation through creating areas with sufficient shades as well as outdoor sophisticated space planning.