“Green Pockets” as Microclimate Modifiers in UK Urban Schools

The rapid densification of many UK cities poses significant pressure on the design of schools within inner city centres. London’s air quality has been associated to increased mortality, and pollution and noise levels have exceeded acceptable standards. As a consequence, most schools are mechanically ventilated and have little or no contact with the outdoors, with detrimental effects for the physical and mental development of students (Charles, 2015). This study investigates the possibility of improving the design of usually neglected and underexploited outdoor and semi-outdoor spaces within urban learning environments in order to convert these spaces into microclimatic modifiers and natural air filters. The research focused on the integration of green spaces into three different environments: outdoor courtyard, semi-outdoor break-out space and indoor classroom. The findings of the analysis and design implementations indicate that the positive microclimatic effect of the green courtyard can be successfully used to achieve thermal comfort in semi-outdoor and indoor spaces throughout the year while improving visual comfort and air quality