Courtyards are a significant element of Indian architecture, valued for their ability to enhance the surrounding microclimate. While extensive research has focused on their effectiveness in warm and hot & dry climates, however their performance in composite climates remains underexplored. The study aims to examine the impact of courtyard geometrical parameters on outdoor thermal comfort in the composite climate of Roorkee, India, within an institutional campus. The research was accomplished in two stages, in the first stage thermal performance of the existing courtyard buildings was assessed through the on-field measurements taken over three consecutive days during summer and winter. Under the second stage, courtyard models were designed based on geometrical parameters. The investigation quantified outdoor thermal comfort based on the MRT (Mean Radiant Temperature) and PET (Physiological Equivalent Temperature) using the Rayman model. The study reveals that the Aspect ratio is the most significant factor (R2 = 0.885) for enhancing microclimate. A north–south (N-S) oriented courtyard with an aspect ratio greater than 2:1 demonstrated significant thermal comfort benefits. These findings provide a framework for optimizing courtyard design in composite climates, offering insights for architects and urban planners to enhance outdoor thermal comfort in similar climatic conditions. Furthermore, this study serves as a base model for future research on courtyard typologies and additional physical parameters.
Parashar et al. (Sat,) studied this question.