Vegetation importance on the urban planning of Quito, Ecuador

Abstract

When heat island effect is the concern, urban areas are more impacted by this phenomenon than rural and natural landscapes. Land cover greatly influences on the emergence of heat islands, which has expanded in cities across the world. Green infrastructure is one of the most effective cooling tools available in cities for mitigating heat island effects. In this scenario, Quito is a city that experiences a very high solar radiation index due to its geographic location and latitude, and this study aimed to investigate the effects of green infrastructure on sun exposure and comfort level of Quito inhabitants. The study was based on information available in the literature and gathered data of El Ejido park from Guarderas, Cohello and Silva (2016), who used representative tree species of El Ejido park to evaluate their effect on microclimatic regulation. It turned out that under tree shade the temperature under Quito climate conditions decreased 2oC, the relative humidity was lower than in open areas and the intensity of light was almost half that of measured in the open areas. It was concluded that trees contributed to regulate the urban microclimate in Quito.