A Basic Study on Utilization of the Cooling Effect of Sea Breeze in Waterfront Areas along Tokyo Bay

Abstract

“Priority Urban Redevelopment Areas” in Tokyo, Japan, are currently undergoing large-scale urban renewal. However, the heat island phenomenon has become a serious problem in large cities in Japan. We surveyed the temperature and wind conditions in two adjacent areas: a new skyscraper district on the coast (A district) and a typical inland urban district (B district). Our observations indicated local temperature increases and unstable wind with weak velocity in B district. It is possible that differences in the wind environment influence the local temperature. We analyzed the relationship between undulations in ground level and the wind environment by wind tunnel experiments. The results confirmed that there was a weak wind area in B district located behind A district from the direction of the coastline. Our findings indicate that it is important to consider the heat island phenomenon in urban planning in order to make best use of the cooling effect of the breeze from the sea at waterfront areas. © 2005, Architectural Institute of Japan. All rights reserved.