The Abridged Wind Comfort Criteria is a modified versions of RWDI’s Pedestrian Wind Comfort Criteria, simplified to acknowledge the more approximate results generated by AI simulations, or limited wind-direction CFD simulations.
Abridged Wind Comfort Values
| PASSIVE |
< 3.1 m/s
< 11 km/h
< 7 mph |
| ACTIVE |
< 4.9 m/s
< 18 km/h
< 11 mph |
| UNCOMFORTABLE |
> 4.9 m/s
> 18 km/h
> 11 mph |
Pedestrian Wind Comfort Criteria aim to classify different areas by the activities pedestrians may tolerate under predicted wind conditions. In essence, pedestrians can tolerate different strengths of wind depending on their activity. A runner, for instance, may tolerate or even enjoy a moderate breeze; on the other hand, diners enjoying a meal on a patio may find that those same winds detract from their dining experience.
Like RWDI’s Wind Criteria, the Abridged Criteria characterizes wind conditions by the Gust Equivalent Mean (GEM) – a measure that calculates an adjusted wind speed based on average wind speeds (steady-state) and wind gustiness (spontaneous), rather than average speeds alone. Comfort categories are defined such that the GEM must remain below the category threshold at least 80% of the time (see table below). These criteria are the result of decades of research and consulting and are widely accepted by municipal authorities.
For the simplified approach, conditions are broadly classified into Passive, Active, and Uncomfortable. There is insignificant precision in the results to speak to safety.
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