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Continued urban growth, densification and the constantly increasing number of days with excessive heat provide challenging conditions for urban green infrastructure (UGI) and intensify the Urban Heat Island effect (UHI). Therefore, new approaches are required to improve the urban ecological function of buildings and to provide high-quality (urban) open spaces that affect the meso- and microclimate in a positive way. Based on the research project “Green Resilient City”, this paper shows how climate simulations can support landscape and urban planning and development. A proof of concept for a multiscale tool set for the evaluation, regulation, and optimization of green and climate-sensitive urban planning projects is the overall aim. The tool-set combines a Green and Open Space Factor, as an urban planning index and controlling instrument, as well as three climate simulation models on different scales in order to harmonize them: the GREENPASS® as an optimization instrument on parcel and neighborhood level, MUKLIMO_3 on neighborhood and city level and Cosmo-CLM as evaluation tools on mesoclimatic and regional level. Several advantages arise from the unprecedented combination of these four instruments: It transfers the use of climate models to the planning process, enables the testing and optimization of different UGIs with a focus on how they can influence the climatic performance of the proposed design of an urban development or retrofit project and serves as a scientific basis for urban planning decisions on a political level.

Global increase of urban population has brought about a growing demand for more dwelling space, resulting in various negative impacts, such as accelerated urbanization, urban sprawl and higher carbon footprints. To cope with these growth dynamics, city authorities are urged to consider alternative planning strategies aiming at mitigating the negative implications of urbanization. In this context, the present contribution investigates the potential of urban densification to mitigate the heat island effects and to improve outdoor thermal conditions. Focusing on a quite densely urbanized district in Vienna, Austria, we carried out a set of simulations of urban microclimate for pre- and post-densification scenarios using the parametric modelling environment Rhinoceros 3D and a set of built-in algorithms in the Rhino’s plug-in Grasshopper. The study was conducted for a hot summer period. The results revealed a notable solar shielding effect of newly introduced vertical extensions of existing buildings, promoting temperature decrease and improved thermal conditions within more shaded urban canyons and courtyards. However, a slight warming effect was noted during the night-time due to the higher thermal storage and lower sky view factor.

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