VIRTUAL London.

Abstract

In response to the escalating challenges posed by global climate change and the urban heat island effect, street trees have emerged as a critical strategy for improving pedestrian thermal comfort within urban environments. This study, conducted in the frigid city of Harbin, investigates the influence of street tree dynamic growth on pedestrian thermal comfort in summer. Our findings reveal a direct correlation between the age and the impact on pedestrian thermal comfort. Older trees, such as Salix matsudana and Populus alba, exhibit greater effectiveness in reducing pedestrian physiological equivalent temperatures (PET), particularly during peak temperatures at noon. However, the 15-year-old Ulmus pumila demonstrates the most significant improvement in PET. Notably, in the NW-SE and NE-SW directions, Salix matsudana, Populus alba, and Ulmus pumila achieve reductions of up to 9.82°C, 3.96°C, 5.10°C, and 6.36°C, 6.70°C, 7.66°C, respectively. Furthermore, we observed a significant disparity in the thermal comfort improvement slope between street trees aged 5-15 years and those aged 15-30 years, suggesting that younger trees may offer more substantial benefits in terms of thermal comfort enhancement. These findings provide valuable insights for urban planners and policymakers, offering guidance for the strategic renewal of street trees in cold urban areas.