A methodology to evaluate outdoor microclimate of the archaeological site: a case study of the Roman Villa in Russi (Italy)

Extensive literature exists on the effects and risks on environmental products, and in particular on the vegetation in archaeological areas; vegetal framework, as is known, changes the microclimate conditions and may affect the conservation of an archaeological site. On this issue a multidisciplinary research unit of the Department of Architecture of the University of Bologna, is studying the actual impact of vegetation in some of Emilia Romagna’s archaeological sites. The objective is to verify the effects of the presence of trees on the outdoor microclimate in these areas to determine and assess the conservation strategies of and outdoor comfort conditions. Software modelling is carried out with ENVI-MET V4, which allows the analysis of micro-climatic conditions of the area and the context of interactions with the vegetation. The research described in this article relates to the archaeological site of the “Roman Villa of Russi (RA)”, the remains of which are surrounded by a plain of woodlands. The simulations have allowed us to understand the real influence of trees on conservation ruins, also defining the perceived well-being benefits for visitors. Result simulation about climate condition in study area show that distribution of air temperature varies depending on the presence of trees and trees species, also mean radiant temperature, while the value of Relative Humidity depend on both tree evopo-transpiration and weather-climatic conditions of the season.