Ramboll was recently involved in the development of the high-profile Kai Tak Sports Park in Hong Kong, the largest park of its kind in the region.
Serving as air ventilation consultant, we evaluated whether the proposed stadiums and arenas would significantly impact the overall air ventilation performance of the site, a former airport in Kowloon City. Our team used the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tool to assess the air flow throughout the park’s interior, exterior and open spaces in both calm and strong wind conditions.
The digital simulation enabled us to advise the client comprehensively on structural permeability, street-level ventilation and heat island effects – when temperatures are higher in certain areas due to an abundance of concrete and little blue or green infrastructure (e.g., lakes, rivers or parks).
Our air quality experts use the CFD tool to investigate and model air flow, energy transport, chemical reactions, combustion and other elements in urban settings. The air ventilation assessments typically examine how existing playgrounds, bus stops, footbridges and other pedestrian areas would be impacted by a proposed building design.
“Skyscrapers or other prominent buildings alter the wind flow through a city, which can interfere with the intake of fresh air in buildings, increase air pollution at street level or even create wind issues for the pedestrians and cyclists, compromising public safety,” Project Manager Steve Lo explains.
This digitalization of the urban landscape through CFD modelling has helped both public and private sectors to solve complex environmental issues around the world. In Hong Kong, these assessments have become an essential part of urban planning, says Steve, “as cities strive to influence and improve both quality of life and sustainability.”