Residential Neighbourhood Assessment in the City of Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) and the Impact on Urban Heat Island Effect (UHI)

Abu Dhabi is an important city that has gone thru major urban transformation over the last 50 years. These changes impact the development of neighbourhoods, especially residential neighbourhoods. The morphology of this urban blocks also impacted the heat island effect (UHI). UHI is one of the contributors to climate change. Therefore, having sustainable neighbourhoods means reducing the UHI and make cities more liveable. The methodology to be followed in this study is as per the below steps: (1) Residential blocks in Abu Dhabi. Analysis of current conditions & Proposal for UHI reduction thru different strategies. (2) Modelling and Simulations. Create and analyse the models in Rhino Grasshopper. (3) Findings and results. The aim is to analyse the current conditions of the selected neighbourhoods in Abu Dhabi. Based on this analysis the research focus is to understand which strategy can reduce more the solar radiation on the streets of the neighbourhoods, therefore reduce the surface temperature and have an impact cooling down the city. Based on the findings different strategies can be applied in the residential blocks to reduce the surface temperature of the streets and buildings, therefore reduce the UHI effect. Having sustainable neighbourhoods has a direct impact in making cities more liveable, walkable and improve the climate change. The main tools to be used are rhino/grasshopper. Thru advanced software, the findings can be optimized and contribute to more sustainable neighbourhoods.