Microclimate Digital Platform (MDP)

A web-based digital platform to visualize and model urban microclimate simulations to support urban planning in Singapore

This Microclimate Digital Platform (MDP) is supported by the research efforts within UCDL, with research innovation and up-to-date scientific theories and understandings. Multi-physics models and modelling results of urban heat island intensity, multi-scale wind permeability, anthropogenic heat impact on air temperature, and solar exposure have been included in the current pilot version. Urban greenery cooling effect and air pollutant dispersion will be included in the next step.

MDP is open-access for various stakeholders. It aims to support climate-sensitive urban planning practices and training, enhance climate situation awareness, and foster other forms of knowledge and technology transfer. As a result, we expect this platform to attract a wide range of users, including government agencies, planning and design industries, universities, and Non-government organizations.

The platform is written mainly in JavaScript and TypeScript with Angular and node.js, utilizing itowns (three.js) and OpenLayers as the basis for the 3D viewer. A Geoserver is also used to host required data such as buildings and roads.

Currently, this platform enables neighbourhood, district, and city-scale modelling and result visualisation. You can choose a site and perform modelling work directly within the platform. The necessary information, e.g., wind roses, will be also provided to help you to interpret modelling results. You can also upload your own building/city models (Collada: .dae) and run simulations. Sketchup and Rhino can be used to easily save 3D models as Collada files. In the next version, we plan to integrate field measurement data and microclimate projection into this platform.

This work is supported by Future Resilient System II Programme at Singapore-ETH Centre, NUS Presidential Young Professorship, and Reimagine Research Grant at NUS College of Design & Engineering .

Online tool link: Microclimate Digital Platform (MDP) (open-access)

Getting started: Microclimate Digital Platform (MDP) user demo

Feedback/Contact: Mr. Tung Bui Do Phuong/akibdpt@nus.edu.sg

Relevant publications:

1). Zhang L.Q., Yuan C., 2023, Multi-scale climate-sensitive planning framework to mitigate urban heat island effect: A case study in Singapore, Urban Climate, accepted.
2). He W.H., Li X.X., Zhang X.H., Yin T.G., Norford L.K., Yuan C., 2023, Estimation of anthropogenic heat from buildings based on various data sources in Singapore, Urban Climate, accepted.
3). Mei S.J., Yuan C., 2021. Analytical and numerical study on transient urban street air warming induced by anthropogenic heat emission, Energy and Building, 231, 110613.
4). Yuan C., Adelia A.S., Mei S.J., He W.H., Li X.X., Norford L., 2020. Mitigating intensity of urban heat island by better understanding on urban morphology and anthropogenic heat dispersion, Building and Environment, 176, pp 106876.
5). Yuan C., Shan R.Q., et al., 2019. Multilayer Urban Canopy Modelling and Mapping for Traffic Pollutant Dispersion at High Density Urban Areas, Science of the Total Environment, 647, pp 255-267.
6). Yuan C., Norford L.K., Britter R., Ng E., 2016. A Modelling-Mapping Approach for Fine-Scale Assessment of Pedestrian-level Wind in High-Density Cities, Building and Environment. 97, pp. 152-165.
7). Yuan C., Chen L., 2011. Mitigating urban heat island effects in high density cities based on sky view factor & urban morphological understanding—- a study at Hong Kong, Architectural Science Review. 54 (4), pp. 305-315.