A thermal comfort-based Decision Support Tool (DST) for context-based walkway design

This paper introduces a Decision Support Tool (DST) for evaluating covered walkway designs based on outdoor thermal comfort simulations and on-site measurements. The DST integrates environmental data, including 3D building geometry, tree locations, road layouts, and weather information, to simulate thermal conditions using the Universal Thermal Climate Index. Sites are clustered based on key urban features such as tree cover, building density, and road proximity, allowing the tool to identify context-specific factors influencing pedestrian comfort. Through feature selection techniques, the tool determines which urban attributes, such as walkway materials or orientation, have the most significant impact on thermal comfort. By ranking walkway design alternatives, the DST enables urban designers and stakeholders to compare options and optimize designs for thermal comfort. The tool offers an intuitive, data-driven platform that aids in decision-making, ensuring walkways are customized to their unique urban settings and improve walkability in tropical environments. Ultimately, the DST offers a scalable solution to improve urban infrastructure design and pedestrian comfort. © 2024 Elsevier B.V.