Research

Owl Lab research framework and selected publications

Research

We start from space, trace environmental processes, connect them to people, and bring the resulting knowledge back to design.

Framework

Conceptual framework

Owl Lab research structure: climate-responsive built environment connecting urban space and environmental processes, human–environment interaction, and environmental sensing, modelling and computation across multiple scales.

1 + 3

Research threads

01 · Space & process

Urban Space & Environmental Processes

城市空间与环境过程

How do spatial conditions and interventions produce environmental effects, and how do these effects change across time, scale and climate?

02 · Human & environment

Human–Environment Interaction

人与环境交互

How do environmental conditions become human exposure, perception, behavior and health, and how can this knowledge inform spatial design?

03 · Methods & computation

Environmental Sensing, Modelling & Computation

环境感知、建模与计算

How can urban environmental processes be sensed, quantified and modelled more accurately and efficiently?

Funded

Funded Projects

The source record provides Chinese titles only; English titles and funding names below are working translations.

Projects led by Owl Lab

2027–2029National Natural Science Foundation of China Young Scientists Fund · PI

Dynamic Thermal Exposure Mechanisms and Spatial Optimisation of New Urban District Streets for Age-Friendly Walking: A Case Study in a Hot-Summer Cold-Winter Climate

Studies dynamic thermal exposure on streets in new urban districts for age-friendly walking in hot-summer cold-winter climates, with implications for spatial optimisation.

Human–Environment InteractionUrban Space & Environmental Processes
2026–2028Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province Young Scientists Fund · PI

Thresholds and Spatial Configuration Methods for Thermal-Environment Improvement through Precision Greening in Urban Block Renewal

Examines thermal-improvement thresholds and spatial configuration methods for precision greening in urban block renewal.

Urban Space & Environmental Processes
2025–2027Open Research Project of the Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of High-Density Human Settlements Ecology and Energy Conservation · PI

Dynamic Cooling Mechanisms and Optimisation of Urban Blue-Green Spaces Based on Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI)

Studies the dynamic cooling mechanisms of urban blue-green spaces and explores optimisation supported by explainable artificial intelligence.

Urban Space & Environmental ProcessesEnvironmental Sensing, Modelling & Computation
2025–2026Open Fund Project of the Key Laboratory of Monitoring, Evaluation and Early Warning for Territorial Spatial Planning, Ministry of Natural Resources · PI

Intelligent Layout and Optimisation Methods for Blue-Green Spaces in Urban Renewal towards Improved Heat Resilience

Develops intelligent layout and optimisation methods for blue-green spaces in urban renewal oriented towards improved heat resilience.

Urban Space & Environmental ProcessesEnvironmental Sensing, Modelling & Computation

Selected

Selected Publications

01 Urban Space & Environmental Processes

城市空间与环境过程

2020

The cooling efficiency of variable greenery coverage ratios in different urban densities: A study in a subtropical climate.

Ouyang, W., Morakinyo, T. E., Ren, C., & Ng, E. Building and Environment, 174, 106772.

Greenness × urban density: how does cooling efficiency change?Examines how cooling performance varies across combinations of greenery coverage and urban density.
DOI / View paper →
2023

How to quantify the cooling effects of green infrastructure strategies from a spatio-temporal perspective: Experience from a parametric study.

Ouyang, W., Morakinyo, T. E., Lee, Y., Tan, Z., Ren, C., & Ng, E. Landscape and Urban Planning, 237, 104808.

Putting cooling back into space and time.Quantifies green-infrastructure cooling from a spatio-temporal perspective and traces how its performance varies across spatial and temporal conditions.
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2025

The dual impacts of built environment on extreme heat and urban heat resilience: A comparative study in Beijing.

Liu, Q., Ouyang, W., Tan, Z., Mei, Y., & Bai, B. Urban Climate, 64, 102618.

How does urban space shape both extreme heat and heat resilience?Examines how built-environment attributes relate to thermal conditions and urban heat resilience during extreme heat.
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02 Human–Environment Interaction

人与环境交互

2025

Comparative evaluation of PET and mPET models for outdoor walking in hot-humid climates.

Ouyang, W., Tan, Z., Chen, Y.-C., & Ren, G. Building and Environment, 271, 112636.

What happens to thermal comfort metrics when people start walking?Compares PET and mPET for outdoor walking in hot-humid climates, bringing thermal assessment into a dynamic pedestrian context.
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2025

The comparative thermal experience of young and old pedestrians in urban green spaces and in densely built areas.

Tan, Z., Christopoulos, G., Roberts, A. C., Ren, G., Ouyang, W., Lo, K., & Ho, C. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 105, 128712.

Same city, different ages, different thermal experiences?Compares young and older pedestrians across urban green spaces and densely built areas, linking thermal experience to both people and place.
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03 Environmental Sensing, Modelling & Computation

环境感知、建模与计算

2021

Evaluating the thermal-radiative performance of ENVI-met model for green infrastructure typologies: Experience from a subtropical climate.

Ouyang, W., Sinsel, T., Simon, H., Morakinyo, T. E., Liu, H., & Ng, E. Building and Environment, 108427.

Can the model capture thermal-radiative conditions around green infrastructure?Evaluates ENVI-met against measured thermal-radiative conditions across different green-infrastructure typologies.
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2022

Comparing Different Recalibrated Methods for Estimating Mean Radiant Temperature in Outdoor Environment.

Ouyang, W., Liu, Z., Lau, K., Shi, Y., & Ng, E. Building and Environment, 109004.

How can outdoor MRT be estimated more accurately?Compares recalibrated approaches for mean radiant temperature estimation and evaluates their applicability to outdoor environmental measurement.
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