Integration of GIS and remote sensing to derive spatially continuous thermal comfort and degree days across the populated areas in Jordan

The widespread availability of high-resolution digital elevation data and high computational capabilities, along with GIS tools, has revolutionized big data processing, management, and interpolation. The present investigation generates high spatial resolution maps of thermal comfort levels, heating (HDD), and cooling (CDD) degree days across the populated areas in Jordan. Results show that areas having indoor apparent temperature (IAT) of 26 degrees C or above, which represents warm/ hot conditions on this thermal index, cover a large portion of the study area during July and August. This thermal zone encompasses a large cluster of the major urban centers in the country. For instance, Amman, Zarqa, and Irbid, which host more than 80% of the population of the country, experience 13,14, and 19 h of warm to very warm conditions during July and August, demonstrating that cooling needs are required to bring about thermal comfort for dwellings and office buildings. Heavy cooling loads, 1700-2000 CDDs, are restricted to the Jordan Rift Valley (JRV) and other small, low-level urban centers. With the exception of the JRV, the populated areas in the country experience cold to very cold conditions during the three coldest months, December through February. Very cold conditions in winter, IAT <= 8 degrees C, span more than 13-14 h of the diurnal cycle in most urban centers. The HDD range from values close to zero along the JRV to similar to 1900 in the southern mountains. Heating loads for dwellings and office buildings are very demanding and represent a pressing financial challenge to bring about thermal comfort to homes and public buildings during winter. The present procedure can be integrated with auxiliary data within a GIS environment to investigate numerous climatological, environmental, and site suitability issues. The present procedure can be used for operational purposes over territorial or regional scales for a wide range of applications.

Automated summary

This study utilizes GIS tools to generate high spatial resolution maps of thermal comfort levels, heating and cooling demands in populated areas of Jordan. The results show that high temperature conditions are prevalent in July and August, with the need for cooling. Apart from the Jordan Rift Valley, the populated areas of the country have high heating demands in winter.