How Does CFD Simulation Shape a Better Understanding of the Micro-Environment?

The continuous advancement of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations has significantly deepened our understanding of urban microclimates, particularly regarding spatiotemporal variations in wind-thermal environments and air pollution. As scholars from urban planning, landscape architecture, architecture, environmental science, and other fields increasingly focus on optimizing urban spatial morphology to mitigate these environmental stresses, a dual challenge has emerged. On one hand, CFD serves as a critical tool for identifying environmental risks and guiding evidence-based design interventions. On the other hand, the inherent complexity of urban underlying surfaces and atmospheric turbulence necessitates continuous improvements in the accuracy, efficiency, and reliability of CFD models themselves. This Research Topic therefore solicits contributions that address both fronts, advancing the application of CFD for environmental quality enhancement, while simultaneously pushing forward the methodological frontiers of urban microclimate simulation.

This Research Topic aims to contribute to a better understanding of:
the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of thermal environments and air pollutants; how spatial characteristics can be optimized to contribute to a healthier indoor and outdoor environment; and how CFD techniques can be developed to improve the effectiveness of indoor and outdoor microclimate simulation.

(1) CFD simulation studies to facilitate a better understanding of the spatiotemporal characteristics of indoor and/or outdoor microclimates.

(2) How to optimize indoor and/or outdoor spatial layouts to contribute to healthier micro-environments.

(3) How to select appropriate simulation parameters and solvers for more accurate urban indoor and outdoor microclimate modeling.

(4) How to integrate artificial intelligence with CFD to accelerate simulations, enhance predictive accuracy, and enable real-time urban microclimate assessments.

(5) How to couple CFD with other advanced techniques, such as geographic information systems, remote sensing, and building energy modeling, to support holistic, data-driven urban environmental management and design decision-making.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• … View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Keywords: Computational Fluid Dynamics, Air Pollution, Thermal Comfort, Microclimate, Indoor and Outdoor Space

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.