Modification of microclimate by urban development - Term Paper Example

Task: Modification of microclimate by urban development Introduction Lausanne is a region in Switzerland known to be the secondlargest town on Lake Geneva which joins the locality of a holiday remedy and a dynamic commercial town. One of the best places to be is the capital of the Canton of Vaud which is an energetic university and standard town. Lausanne is also recognized for its nature of sports and culture that are issued high profile in the Olympic city (Clarey 78). Lausanne has a tremendous charming setting the main reason that makes the International Olympic Committee to stick there ever since 1914 when it was established. Lausanne town is developed on three hills, encircled by vineyard-coated slopes, with Lake Geneva at its feet. This makes it a cool and beautiful place to be since its climate and the beautiful sceneries surrounding it are attractive. Savoy Alps rise attractively from the opposing French Lakeshore (Hinkel 64). The city contains passages with boutiques and cafes shaping the streetscape in the medieval city centre. However, the ultimate aim of this report is to examine urban geography of Switzerland particularly Lausanne city. The report is divided in four main parts; preparation, data collection, analysis and presentation. Under Preparation, is where the objectives of the study and hypothesis are prepared. Data collection involves the fieldwork process where is acquired through various methods including questionnaire and survey. Analysis is examination of the process based on information acquired and the application of scientific sense in evaluating hypothesis. Data collection The process of data collection used in this report is the use of questionnaire and interview. However, before data was collected, the objectives of research were determined followed by hypothesis which shows assumptions of what might be found when two regions of Lausanne; Val-Vert and Chailly are compared in terms of development and modification of microclimate (Lawrimore 33). Objectives I. determine beautiful scenes in Lausanne II. To find out which town of the two regions; Val-Vert and Chailly is better than the other in terms of development To find out The objectives of data collection in this report are as follows; I. To which region of Lausanne is most affected by microclimate modification II. To identify the top events in Lausanne III. To discover if tourism is more loved in the region than sport events in Lausanne. IV. To identify the whether patterns of Lausanne and their impact on activities of the place V. To determine if Lausanne has beautiful sceneries and landscapes VI. To determine the urban thermal microclimate of Lausanne VII. To determine which region; east, west and center of Lausanne is better than others Hypothesis I. Lausanne contains beautiful scenes such as mountains, hills, lake, museums and sport centers. II. The town of Chailly seems to be nice than Val-Vert in terms of development III. Since Chailly seems to be more developed than Val-Vert, it is highly affected microclimate IV. Prix de Lausanne is the top event in the Lausanne V. Tourism is most loved in Lausanne than sports because of the presence of several beautiful sceneries VI. The whether patterns of Lausanne are good because they favor business, tourism and sports activities in the region VII. The urban thermal microclimate of Lausanne is very high because of high development and tall buildings where there is much gases released to air causing microclimate VIII. The region that is better than the others in Lausanne is west Lausanne due to the presence of Lake Geneva. Questionnaire The type of questionnaire that was used for this study is simple questionnaire that is simplified and takes minimal time to respond to it (Clarey 84). It was issued to 60 adults of ages 16-60 of all genders. The questionnaire design used was simple one and is as shown below. Use the boxes below the answers to write comment if you wish because it is 1. Gender a. Male b. Female 2. Does Lausanne contain beautiful sceneries? a. Yes b. No 3. Between Chailly and Val-Vert, which town is more developed than the other? a. Chailly b. Val-Vert 4. Between Chailly and Val-Vert, which area is highly affected by microclimate? a. Chailly b. Val-Vert 5. Does Lausanne has an urban thermal microclimate? a. Yes b. No 6. Which region; east, west and center of Lausanne is better than others? a. East Lausanne b. Central Lausanne c. West Lausanne 7. The whether pattern of Lausanne is? a. Recurring b. Intermittent 8. Does Lausanne region receive tourists? a. Yes b. No 9. Has the area ever reported cases of health complications related to microclimate? a. Yes b. No 10. Does the microclimate in Lausanne affect health of people living there? a. Yes b. No Geographical Context The survey was conducted by supplying the questionnaire above to more than 50 people of different genders and age groups. The response from the public people of Lausanne was perfect because 98 percent of the questionnaire were well answered with the expected responses that highly correspondent with hypothesis. The survey showed clearly that Lausanne is one of the best places to be in Switzerland because it has a cool climate and several tourist attraction sites from glaciers to mountains (Lawrimore 47). The region contains business entities such as hairdressers, shops, optician, pharmacies and restaurants. Moreover, buildings in Lausanne are very high in comparison to other towns such as Val-Vert located on the northern periphery of Lake Geneva. In fact, Lausanne is the most suitable place to tour when an individual wants to have a clear view of Lake Geneva, Montreux and the town of Geneva (Clarey 111). Grounded on three hills, Lausanne rises from shore of Lake Geneva and it appears that going anywhere requires scaling steps. The city tenders the visitor two excellent areas for touring. Along the waterfront, there exists an elegant area called Ouchy while the aged Town involves an enormous cathedral with sectors dating from the 12th century. Lausanne city is also identified as the headquarters of Olympics and encompass the popular Olympic museum. Another museum in town is the Collection de’lArt Brut, which features art in several types generated majorly by individuals who were damage psychologically. The art offering of the museum are both extra ordinary and reminiscent. Therefore, Lausanne city contains several beautiful scenes that are attractive to tourists and other people from other regions in Switzerland. Chailly region is also recognized to be better than Val-Vert in terms of development because it contains several tall buildings than Val-vert. the hills in Chilly are well-arranged in the sense that they provide a clear view of Lake Geneva than the hills in Val-Vert (Hinkel 142). It is clear from the survey that Chailly region contain numerous business entities like shops, hotels, restaurants and beauty centers. The study indicated that Lausanne city is one of the areas with the best events ever. One of the top events in the region is the Prix de Lausanne which is an international ballet contest for young talent from all over the world. This means that Lausanne is a famous city because of such big events in the region that draws the attention of the whole world. Another major event is the Tour de Romandie which is a UCI proTour cycling contest through the western part of Switzerland across the hills of Lausanne (Hinkel 213). The survey indicated that Tour de Romandie is the most significant foundational race for the Giro d’Italia. The event takes place in April and May every year. Moreover, the city also has Bejart Ballet Lausanne, which is one of the most world-class repute companies on the globe. The company was established by Bejart Ballet in 1987 and grew up tremendously. Another excellent event is normally hosted at Athletissima which is an international track and pitch for athletics meeting, fastened as part of the Golden League. The event takes place in June and December of every year. Other important events in Lausanne city include Jazzonze + Festival Lausanne and Festival de la Cite (Clarey 123). According to the survey, Lausanne city contain Train des vignes which is a leisurely train voyage onboard from Vevey to Chexbres through the wine growing areas if the Lavaux, high above Lake Geneva. The train is clearly observed in the following figure, which also indicates the beautiful landscape of Lausanne. However, the study also showed that East of Lausanne is the best region to be because most of the events named above are held there including the Olympic museum and Olympic headquarters. East Lausanne also contain significant hotels mostly used by tourists such as Nash Calton and Nouvelele Couronne Hotels (Lawrimore 67). Some of the well-known districts of East Lausanne include Chailley and Val-Vert. The only problem about Lausanne is that the region always experiences heavy traffic as well as microclimate due to the intense development. Presentation Comparison of Val-Vert and Chailly regions of Lausanne It is important to note that both districts of Val-Vert and Chailly are found in the East part of Lausanne. This means that the Eastern part of Lausanne is the most developed and the most attractive than other areas of West and Central Lausanne. However, in the two districts, Chailly is highly developed than Val-Vert because it contains taller buildings than Val-Vert. along the roads of Chailly, there are several cool houses both of high class and middle class people. Besides, the lake is clearly viewed when walking along the streets of Chailly (Landsberg 144). However, the paths in Val-Vert are highly elevated at approximately 547 meters than the paths in Chailly which are approximately 480 meters high. The other important thing to note is that in Chailly, almost everything is found there beginning with restaurants, shops, pharmacies, hairdressers and opticians. Val-Vert on the other hand does not contain things like opticians and pharmacies. In fact, Val-Vert district does not have shops and restaurants as well as no traffic in the neighborhood and between buildings (Jones et al. 169). Nevertheless, just like Chailly, Val-Vert district has institutions such as schools where students acquire education and life experience. Both districts also contain roundabouts and footpaths where people enjoy walking without disturbances from vehicles on roads. Most buildings in Val-Vert have an average of 3 to 4 storey which is minimal in comparison to Chailley that contain 5 to 6 storey buildings. Another difference between the two districts is the entrance; while entering Val-Vert, an individual definitely notice that the region is not well defined especially when entered from the western side (Clarey 178). This is different from Chailley whose entrance view is well defined with a gas station out of Lausanne town near Pully. Due to higher buildings in Chailly than in Val-Vert, the influence of microclimate is higher in Chailly than in Val-Vert as well. This means that Chailly tend to have absence of extreme low temperature than Val-Vert. this is because buildings and overlay surfaces absorb heat during day time then emit it back into the air during the night. It leads to minimization of the chances of occurrence of frost and moderating low temperature during the winter season. Comparison of Central Lausanne regions of Saint Francois and Bel Air The first difference between Bel Air and Saint Francois is that Saint Francois is a larger district than Bel Air. Moreover, Saint Francois contain more business entities such as Swisscom, BCV, Orange and UBS proving that the area is more lively and busy than Bel Air which contain just few entities (Hinkel 222). Besides, the buildings in Saint Francois are more beautiful, attractive and luxurious in comparison to those found in Bel Air. This means that Saint Francois hosts more important events such as sports and conferences than Bel Air. However, both Saint Francois and Bel Air have heavy traffic meaning that people in both regions spends a lot of time in traffic (Clarey 211). The most important thing about Bell Air is that the area contains the tallest building in Lausanne which is Bell-Air tour. This is the region that has high modification in terms of technology because it was the first region to have a building with an elevator system; the Felon. Bell Air also contains a lot of shops than Saint Francois although they are not as luxurious as those found in Saint Francois. The other difference is their topographical locations whereby Saint Francois is found on the lower most part of Central Lausanne mostly known as Downtown while Bel Air is found in the core area of central Lausanne. The last major difference is the fact that despite Saint Francois having the most laxirious buildings, Bel Air has the largest shopping center in Lausanne which makes it to be the most cherished business region in the entire Lausanne (Howard 150). Moreover, Bel Air is mostly affected by microclimate than Saint Francois due to the large market and tall buildings. Comparison of West Lausanne regions of Malley and Bourdonnette Note that west Lausanne is one of the regions of Lausanne that contains several activities and events. For example, Malley region is known to be the center of movie watching because it contains a very huge cinema hall where people enjoy watching latest films. Malley also contain theatres where several artistic activities take place including drama acting, narrations, launching of musical albums by musicians and cultural events (Federal Department of Statistics, pp37). However, this defers greatly with Bourdonnette district which does not have such activities. Malley region is also known to contain big manufacturing and construction industries where building materials as well as consumption materials are obtained. This means that the district contain tall buildings with more important functions than Bourdonnette, which does not have taller buildings. Nevertheless, Bourdonnette district also contain a cinema hall where people enjoy watching latest films. Due to the industries and manufacturing activities in Malley, it is clear that this district experiences higher microclimate caused by emission of gases in air and other waste materials to the environment which alters the climate of the region by contributing greatly to global warming (Landsberg 169). Bourdonnette is well known to be the home of the one of the most famous mountains in the Lausanne called Grand Combin. The mountain is very influential in the whether pattern of Bourdonnette because it affects its microclimate. This is mostly observed on the Alps surrounding Lausanne, which sometimes have frost and snow on them melting due to extreme heat during summer (Hinkel 281). The Urban Microclimate of Lausanne Urban heat island Urban heat island is formed from the arena of warm air mostly developed over cities like Lausanne. The outcome of such action is increase in the temperatures of the city by numerous degrees Celsius thus becoming higher than the temperatures of the surrounding areas. In the case of Lausanne, urban heat temperatures are experienced in the Malley district, central Lausanne. This is because of two major reasons: I. Heat energy is omitted from industrial buildings in the region especially through deprived insulated roofs, windows and doors (Clarey 222). Normal radiant light bulbs such as those still employed in several homes, only consume 10 percent of the energy needed for light and produces the rest as heat. II. Road surfaces and construction materials like bricks and concrete soak up heat during the day and act like huge storage heaters discharging it slow at night (Federal Department of Statistics, pp40). The darkness of the night soaks up more heat than light colors during the day. Other factors that can contribute to the same include I. Glass buildings and windows reflect huge amounts of solar radiation into the environmental air (Lawrimore 79). This is mostly observed in Saint Francois, which contain more beautiful and luxurious buildings than any other district in Lausanne. II. Hygroscopic or water attracting pollution specks in the air function as nuclei for condensation. These enhance the generation of clouds and smog that are able to ensnare heat in the lower atmosphere. III. In several districts of Lausanne and numerous other places, there may exist relatively little amounts of liquid water (Jones et al. 170). This enables usage of small amounts of heat energy in evaporation. The following graph indicates the average temperature of Lausanne per month (Federal Department of Statistics) Precipitation and humidity Most of the warmer urban bionetworks usually have more rain. The warmer temperatures can lead to configuration of convection currents and powerful thermals. This is greatly observed in the outcasts of Lausanne (Howard 189). These are significant in formation and reinforcement of thunderstorms directing to higher rainfall in the city region and downwind of it. For instance, between 1951 and 1960, thunder was heard on 110 days in the core of London but only 60 days on the kent coaSaint This means that precipitation and humidity has massive impact on climatic conditions of a region and can lead to harm especially to plants and to individuals particularly in presence of thunderstorm. The following graph clearly indicates the average days with precipitation in Lausanne per month. Average days of Precipitation per Month Although during winter there is more rain in, air humidity may be slightly minimum since fewer bodies of open water shows that there is minimal water evaporating into the air (Hinkel 300). The following table gives a clear tabular view for temperature and precipitation per month in Lausanne. Atmospheric pollution The Lausanne atmosphere mostly has high pollution levels. The main sources of these pollution are car exhaust fumes since the area has too many cars evident by heavy traffics experienced in all the districts; burning of fossil fuels and use of CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) such as aerosol sprays (Federal Department of Statistics, pp44). Burning of fossil fuels is evident in Lausanne city due to high population in the region that practices burning of plastic bags and other materials that releases gases to the air. Photochemical smog can be observed at certain time over Lausanne city. This often occurs when oxides of nitrogen and un-glowed hydrocarbons from vehicle exhaust act in response to sunlight and ozone in the atmosphere (Howard 202). This rate is very high in Lausanne where vehicles are very many in roads across the region. The effect of these un-consumed hydrocarbons is that they cause breathing related complications like Asthma. Other than breathing difficulties, pollution can cause the following problems. i. Damaging of the ozone layer ii. Blackening and erosion of constructions and other structures iii. Generation of acid rain, which is harmful to human life and plants Note that all the above-mentioned effects can also affect wildlife and other inhabitants whether direct or indirect. Light Pollution smog and cloud cover always minimizes the amount of solar energy that reaches the urban bionetwork and at the same time, shade from tall buildings may critically minimize the amount of light reaching the surface of the earth (Hinkel 301). It is during the night however that the largest distinction between city like Lausanne and rural regions is observed. The lights observed in cities at night with their flush enlarging over the countryside around them. Wind Very high buildings supplies shade from the fast moving winds in the higher atmosphere. Nevertheless, these buildings also interrupt with the pattern of airflow when they block the wind from moving. This builds up eddies and vortices, which whirl up filth and garbage causing walking between buildings problematic and sometimes dangerous (Landsberg 300). Microclimate and wildlife The microclimate experienced in cities has several different features but it is not easy to generalize concerning what influence these might have on wildlife since there are several other characteristics that affect their survival in an urban bionetwork. Some examples of identified effects include the following (Jones et al. 172). First, there is urban lighting, which mostly affects mating in moths. Moths usually need darkness to enhance their fertilization. For instance, a female moth may not generate sex pheromones to fascinate males. The parishioners of insects around street light can give a convergence source of food for bats as well as birds in the morning. The second is air pollution whereby lichens have proved to be much responsive to air pollution and can be used as pollution indicators (Federal Department of Statistics 50). The last one is urban heat island where developing period for certain plants is extensive. For instance, the date of the last frost action in spring is beforehand, and the date of the initial frost in autumn is soon. The ever-popular urban area of Lausanne enjoys a mild climate, with much of its weather being openly affected by its nearness to immediate Lake Geneva. Other essential geographical traits circling Lausanne and openly determining the climate involve the southerly Swiss plateau, and the raised position, which is about 500 meters or one, 640 feet above the port of the shoreline of Ouchy. Some examples that lead to surface hotness variations are the cutting of woods in the forests across the hills that surround Lausanne, the earth’s average air hotness warming, growing of trees and asphalt road laid around as well. In most cases, the outcome is to change the inclines no more than 20-30°C/km at 20-50 meters deepness, and only less than 5°C/km at 100-150 meters deepness (Howard 234). The consequences are on the odd occasion larger than this. The extrapolated surface hotness from deeper than 150m is normally within 2°C of actual surface temperatures. Seasonal Variations in Climate This variation is important for the tourists who visit the place to enjoy the beautiful view of sceneries. Warm and somehow humid winds frequently arrive from the Atlantic, alongside the breezes from Lake Geneva, cleaning up the air in Lausanne and cooling down hotness during the hot summer season (Hinkel 312). The climate in Lausanne is normally at its hottest between the months of July and August, when hotness average 25°C / 77°F during the day and goes down to about 14°C / 57°F at night. The outcome of these variations is that several bars and restaurants in the city remain open until late, to make the most of the gentle nights and prolonged daylight hours. The southerly disclosure of Lausanne to the lake has lead to specifically luxuriant and appealing city, with an exact Mediterranean feel. The alluring summer climate is when several tourists opt to visit Lausanne because the adjacent natural attractions are at the beSaint. The delight and passenger boats from Ouchy become demanding in the summer, and the neighboring beach of Vidy is an exact highlight at this time of the year (Federal Department of Statistics, pp54). Autumnal weather gets near in September and by the starting of October, the temperatures of the day drop to 17°C / 63°F or lower. Nevertheless, the climate can taste differently cooler when the well-known local Fohn winds come closer and add an exact wind chill factor. The autumn skies of Lausanne are also famous for blue nature, clear and very free of clouds. The figure below summarizes the seasonal variations of climate in Lausanne. Conclusion Lausanne is a city in Switzerland well known for its attractive and appealing nature caused by the beautiful sceneries of mountains, hills, Lake Geneva, events hosted and museums. This study was conducted using questionnaire that was distributed to more than 50 people whose response turned up to be fantastic. The study was to determine the urban geography of Lausanne city as well as how the area is affect in terms of microclimate due to development factors. Lausanne are several places worth visiting and some of them include the Savoy Alps, three hills surrounding it, Lake Geneva, museums, collection of marginal art (Art Brut) and parks that contain numerous Mediterranean plant species. Other places include luxurious hotels such as Beau-Rivage palace located in Ouchy and the famous Hotel del’Angleterre where Lord Bryon once visited. Among East, West and Central Lausanne, East Lausanne is the best in terms of development because it is the place where important features are found and where important events take place. For example, the beautiful view of Lake Geneva is well seen when in East Lausanne than in any other place in Lausanne. However, Chailly district in East Lausanne is the most developed and attractive in comparison to Val-Vert district. Works Cited Clarey, Christopher. "Introduction to Lausanne". The New York Times. 2 June 2009. Web. 20 Jan 2012. Federal Department of Statistics. "Land and Environment (Raum und Umwelt: Panorama)". 2 Nov. 2009. Web. 20 Jan 2012. Helmut E. Landsberg. The Urban Climate. New York: Academic Press, 2003. Print. Hinkel, Kenneth M. "Barrow Urban Heat Island Study" London: Cambridge University Press, 2003 Luke Howard, The climate of Switzerland, deduced from Meteorological observations, made at different places in the neighbourhood of the metropolis. London: Sage, 2004. Print. P. D. Jones, P.Y. Groisman, M. Coughlan, N. Plummer, W.-C. Wang, T.R. Karl. "Assessment of urbanization effects in time series of surface air temperature over land". Nature 347 (6289): 169–172, 2002. Peterson Lawrimore. Urban Heat Island. New York: Academia Press, 2009. Print. Read More