24 Gaukel: Pedestrian Wind Assessment

Challenge

The owner was required to complete a quantitative Pedestrian Wind Tunnel Study for their Site Plan Approval (SPA) application.

Solution

SLR was retained to conduct a quantitative pedestrian wind study for the proposed development at 24 Gaukel Street (Charlie West Condos) in Kitchener, Ontario. The analysis of pedestrian wind comfort is required for developments taller than six-storeys within the City of Kitchener.

Our objective was to demonstrate the wind conditions on the site were suitable for the intended use and fulfilled the City requirements.

SLR was able to help the client receive final SPA. To do so, we conducted the following pedestrian wind studies:

• Initially provided a letter of opinion regarding anticipated wind conditions around the building. This letter was qualitative in nature and experience based.
• Conducted a 3D computer modeling analysis, utilizing computational fluid dynamics, to determine pedestrian wind conditions around the building for the initial SPA application.
• For the final SPA application, SLR conducted a pedestrian wind tunnel study. This involved the construction of a physical 1:400 scale model of the site and surroundings. Wind tunnel tests for two configurations were then undertaken at the Alan G. Davenport Wind Engineering Group Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel Laboratory at Western University. Using an established criterion, wind conditions were determined using the results from the wind tunnel and local meteorological data. And where necessary, mitigation measures were suggested and described. The final deliverable was a detailed pedestrian wind tunnel study report for the SPA submission.