Mapping the urban climate to address summer comfort management in French urban planning documents

• Published in: Cybergeo
• Main Authors: Hidalgo, Julia, Touati, Najla, Haouès-Jouve, Sinda, Jegou, Laurent, Bretagne, Geneviève, Bocher, Erwan, Masson, Valéry, Mayis, Arnaud, Jougla, Renaud, Petit, Gwendall, Schoetter, Robert
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; German
• Published: UMR 8504 Géographie-cités 13.04.2023; Unité Mixte de Recherche 8504 Géographie-cités
• Subjects: applied cartography; climate visualization; Environmental Sciences; Humanities and Social Sciences; territorial planning; urban climatic maps; urban heat island; cartografía aplicada; islas de calor; urban heat island; visualisation climatique; cartographie appliquée; applied cartography; territorial planning; îlot de chaleur urbain; urban climatic maps; cartes climatiques de l’environnement urbain; aménagement du territoire; climate visualization; visualización climática; cartas climáticas de ambiente urbano; planificación territorial
• ISSN: 1278-3366; 1278-3366
• DOI: 10.4000/cybergeo.40319

In France, the integration of climate and energy issues in the spatial planning tools of local authorities is compulsory for cities with more than 20000 inhabitants. Through the example of Toulouse Metropole, the interdisciplinary work here presented make use of the available geographic and climatic data to perform spatial microclimatic diagnostics and its translation into recommendations to address thermal summer comfort. Analysis maps and strategic maps for daytime and night time are presented for thermal and aeraulic analysis taking advantage of available numerical simulations at 250x250 m, one year of duration and local weather type classifications. A three years long collaboration with the local authority and the urban agency allowed the co-construction of the cartographic protocol and the publication of an Atlas as well as a set of guidelines. Collaboration with a network of French cartographers allowed original propositions on graphic semiology as visual organization, the choice of urban and geographical information to be combined with the climatic information or a proposition of a new UTCI colorimetric spectrum.