Integration of evapotranspiration into canopy structures for outdoor thermal comfort

Providing thermal comfort outdoors in a hot dry climate has been a topic of much research. Conventional shading structures often are not appropriately designed for arid climates and thus they get hot and radiate heat. Such a high temperature on a large radiative plane six to eight feet above a user creates significant thermal discomfort. On the other hand, a well designed shading structure would allow as little heat as possible to radiate down, thereby acting as an effective shading device. Current application strategies like the use of misters for outdoor cooling, though effective, consume large amounts of water, which can be scarce in arid regions. Alternatively, strategies like evapotranspiration can modify the microclimate, improve thermal comfort and lower water usage. Our study concentrates on evaluating new shading strategies by integrating the process of evapotranspiration into canopy structures which may help improve the microclimate of outdoor spaces such as bus stations and walkways.