Analyzing the Cooling Effects of Water Facilities in Urban Park: The Case of Sangju Namsan Park, South Korea

This study evaluates the cooling effects of small-scale water features and fog systems in Sangju Namsan Park, South Korea, focusing on their impact on thermal comfort. While previous studies have demonstrated the potential of urban parks in reducing temperatures, studies on small-scale interventions that examine their effects on thermal comfort and analyze microclimate data collected in specific areas are limited. This study collected and analyzed microclimate data using the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) and physiological equivalent temperature (PET) to assess the effectiveness of a small water path and a cooling fog system. The results indicate that surface temperature reductions reached up to 1.1 degrees C, with the pergola area showing the most significant cooling effect, lowering PET values to an average of 36.2 degrees C. In contrast, the small water path recorded the highest PET values, peaking at nearly 50.2 degrees C, likely due to radiant heat from the surrounding surfaces. While these interventions provided localized cooling, their overall effect on urban temperature reduction remained modest. This study suggests that small-scale water features are effective in enhancing thermal comfort in neighborhood parks but must be integrated into broader urban cooling strategies to maximize their impact.