Wind tunnel measurements of buoyant flows in street canyons

► Solar radiation induced buoyancy plays an important role in urban street canyons. ► Wind tunnel measurements are conducted for a 1:1:9 cavity with heated surfaces. ► Time averaged turbulent kinetic energy and velocity fields are measured with PIV. ► For low freestream velocities the flow field significantly changes due to buoyancy. ► The flow field is influenced most if the windward façade is heated.