Increased knowledge of heat island surfaces (HIS) and intense heat island surfaces (IHIS) in urban environments is critical for the mitigation of excess urban heat and the associated burden on power grids. In this study, we propose a robust thermal remote sensing solution for the delineation of HIS and IHIS areas in Abha and Khamis, a tourist resort in southern Saudi Arabia. Land surface temperature

Recently, retro-reflective (RR) materials have been proposed to be applied to building facades instead of diffuse reflective (DR) materials for urban heat island (UHI) mitigation. This paper focuses on analyzing the RR performance of glass bead RR material under different incident angles of light rays by using the proposed bead model. The results show that the retro-reflectivity of bead model increases

Tropical cities are exposed to high air temperature and relative humidity throughout the year, causing pedestrian thermal discomfort. In this work, we present an evaluation of the impact of urban geometry on the outdoor thermal comfort (OTC) in Singapore, focusing on a new mixed-use high-rise development. Different urban design strategies/scenarios have been analyzed: two block forms, four street orientations

Beliefs in climate change are influenced by personal experiences and sociodemographic characteristics; yet justice considerations are often overlooked. We unveil the influence of these factors' on climate change beliefs in a large American city facing substantial climate change impacts, Phoenix, Arizona. Using the Phoenix Area Social Survey that includes data collected from (n = 806) households across

Urban vegetation mitigates elevated temperatures in cities. Drought presents an important challenge to urban heat mitigation as prolonged dry periods cause reduced evapotranspiration and losses of green vegetation cover. To measure drought impacts on the urban environment and climate, we used visible short-wave infrared satellite imagery acquired throughout the 2012–16 drought in California to quantify

Bogotá is a leading city with regard to urban cycling infrastructure in Latin America. This study evaluated cyclist exposure to particle-related air pollution on selected bicycle lanes in Bogotá. We provide new data on cyclist inhalation rates and the chemical composition of ambient particulate matter. We measured real-time concentrations of particulate matter (PM2.5) and black carbon (BC) on two different

Weather influences travel behavior in both the short and long-term. We have studied the impact of extreme weather conditions of high temperatures, low temperatures, rain, thunderstorms and fog on travel choices by the metro rail users at two stations in Delhi. Stated adaptation choice survey is conducted at two metro stations (underground and elevated) having different built environments and transport

Reducing electricity consumption has emerged as a key area of concern according to the National Mission of Sustainable Habitat of Government of India. Among the Indian cities, Delhi's electricity consumption is the highest. This paper aims to evaluate the impact of UHI on electricity consumption of Delhi. The study utilizes the satellite land surface temperature (LST) data to compute the district-wise

There is a current upsurge of climate-related disasters globally with urban centres emerging as hotspots for climate risks such as floods, underlain by population growth and urbanization challenges. Yet, the literature on urban floods suggests limited estimates of “perceived vulnerability”, the latter increasingly gaining acceptance in climate change and disaster knowledge communities. Subsequently

Local and regional urban surface heterogeneity produces diverse urban climates, significantly impacting water use, energy consumption, and human health. This study examines urban energy flux variability across landcover and climate gradients for 2123 km2 of urbanized Los Angeles County, USA, by using high resolution remote sensing combined with spatially distributed simulations with an urban energy

Considering the new IPCC report and its recent suggestions, it is important to pay serious attention to the Urban Heat Island issue. In this study, satellite images acquired by the Worldview3 sensor (WV3) were processed to classify the different kinds of urban surface and to compute the albedo value for each surface. Then several UHI mitigation scenarios were analyzed, varying selectively the surface

This paper uses a raster-based inundation model (LISFLOOD-FP) to simulate coastal flooding using the major causes of coastal inundation i.e. extreme water levels and subsidence combined with rising sea level. Specifically, this study uses sea level scenarios through 2050, projected by linear estimation of the Semarang tide gauge record from 1997 to 2015. In addition, we calculated extreme water levels

The effects of climate change on the dust phenomenon was simulated in this study using an artificial neural network (ANN) until 2050. Hourly Particulate matter concentrations and daily meteorological data were analyzed from 2007 to 2018 and 1988 to 2018, respectively, in Zanjan city. The outputs of HadGM2-ES (Hadley Centre Global Environmental Model, version 2- Earth System) models of atmospheric circulation

Due to high thermal loads, tropical climate cities may expose users of its public open spaces to likely thermal stresses. In order to assess thermal comfort, several aspects need to be considered, such as meteorological, thermophysiological and psycho-social/cultural. The integrated effect of these variables on thermal sensations can be achieved and evaluated by using calibrated assessment scale of

Coastal wastewater and storm water systems can be overwhelmed during high precipitation events, particularly when compounded by high storm surge that blocks spillways and drainage ways. Sea level rise (SLR) brings increased risk of such compound flooding events, triggering sanitary sewer overflows (SSO) which release waste water into the local environment. A logistic regression model was developed

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are the carcinogenic component of carbonaceous aerosols and the toxicity of PAHs depends on their molecular structure. PM2.5-bound PAHs concentration, their isomeric ratios and health impacts during wintertime (fog and non-fog episodes) are assessed at two heavily polluted sites (Allahabad and Kanpur) in central IGP (Indo-Gangetic plains) to better understand

Local climatic zones (LCZs) is a comprehensive and micro level land use classification system originally developed to quantify the relation between urban heat island (UHI) and urban morphological pattern. Assessment thermal behavior pattern (TBP) of LCZ can contribute to quantify potential heat stress and health risks. This study aims to assess TBP in different landscape settings of five industrial

The Urban Heat Island (UHI) phenomenon is frequently associated with heat waves, both in scientific literature and in the media. Health problems and other issues often result from the co-occurrence of these two phenomena. Previous studies have not yet provided sufficient evidence to validate potential links between UHIs and heat waves. The MUSTARDijon network was set up in 2014, in Dijon, France. Its

Understanding the patterns of urban temperature a high spatial and temporal resolution is of large importance for urban heat adaptation and mitigation. Machine learning offers promising tools for high-resolution modeling of urban heat, but it requires large amounts of data. Measurements from official weather stations are too sparse but could be complemented by crowd-sensed measurements from citizen

Incessant conurbation in Noida has exacerbated its microclimate, causing rise in the thermal anomalies within the city. Between 2011 and 2019, there is an immoderate increase in the hotspots and overall decrease in the thermal comfort of the city, evaluated using the Urban Thermal Field Variance Index (UTFVI). The study further explores the association between land surface temperature (LST) and spectral

Instruments measuring the outdoor radiant environment are limited spatially. They aggregate observations to singular points, eliminating variations from surrounding surface temperatures. Computational methods can characterize the heterogeneous outdoor radiant environment, but spatial validation with accurate tools remains difficult. We use two novel sensing platforms (MaRTy and SMaRT) and an innovative

Trees and green spaces are part of the environmental systems that are essential to the quality of human life in urban spaces. In general, Brazilian cities have a high proportion of impermeable surfaces which affect the urban microclimate. This paper examined the impact of vegetation presence and configuration on human behavior in three downtown squares in Aracaju, Brazil. The monitored period was summer

Greening of cities is one of the mitigation strategies for urban hot environments in summer, because green parks in cities have a lower temperature than the surrounding built environment in summer, called cool islands phenomena. This study took the micro-meteorological measurements in an urban park (Shinjyuku Gyoen, Tokyo Japan) and analyzes the vertical structure of a cool island at night. Vertical

The urban climate can influence the development of several diseases in the urban environment, among them dengue fever. The existing literature shows a strong correlation of the Aedes aegypti mosquito with climate, and especially with air temperature and humidity. The present study reveals a correlation between the surface temperature in the city of Rio de Janeiro and the distribution of Dengue vector

This study aimed at estimating the probability of occurrence and return period of extreme daily precipitation events, associating them with natural disasters that occurred in the city of Natal, Northeast Brazil. For this purpose, generalized extreme value (GEV) distribution models were adjusted to the daily extreme precipitation data observed for a period of 31 years (1984–2014). The results indicated

The thermal environment in Recreational Open Spaces (ROS) is primarily a result of the surrounding built form which includes buildings, trees, and surface treatment materials. To study the impact of land surface treatment choice and urban form on the thermal characteristics of open spaces, a case study assessment was undertaken in the dense urban context of Mumbai, India. To study ROS and its thermal

To study characteristics and sources of water-soluble ions, the samples of PM2.5 were collected at suburb area of Tangshan. The main water-soluble ions in PM2.5 were analyzed and the source of water-soluble ions was discussed. The results showed that PM2.5 concentration was 128.45 ± 80.54 μg/m3 (winter indoor) > 112.44 ± 82.90 μg/m3 (summer indoor) > 112.44 ± 82.90 μg/m3 (winter outdoor) > 34.73 ± 31

Air pollution with high concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) poses severe threats to human health. Accurate estimation of PM2.5 concentrations can timely assist relevant agencies to conduct air pollution treatment and provide essential data sources for epidemiological research related to PM2.5 exposure. Although China has established a network for monitoring ground-level PM2.5 concentrations

For the selection of tolerant species in shelter belt development and sensitive species as bio-indicator of air pollution in a polluted environment, air pollution tolerance index (APTI) is a very important tool. APTI is based on four biochemical parameters of the plants; total chlorophyll content, relative water content, pH of leaf extract and ascorbic acid. Anticipated performance index (API) is based

Goiânia is a city in the late 1930s, and one of the two cities constructedin the Brazilian savannah. In 2018, it had 1.4 million inhabitants and 2,05217 inhabitantsper km2. With less than 100 years of age, the urbanization model associated with the effects of global climate change has led the city to live, in recent periods, with moments of water scarcity and flooding. In view of this, the urban municipal

Using satellite observations to estimate PM2.5 concentrations is feasible for monitoring air pollution, which can make up for the deficiencies of sparse ground monitoring stations and short-time monitoring data. A Random Forest model (denoted as RF), incorporating the latest aerosol optical depth product (MCD19A2), the meteorological data of European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF)

Effects of different ambient wind speeds and aspect ratios on turbulence and pollutant concentration in and above street canyons are numerically investigated and compared using parallelized LES model (PALM) and ((Transition Conditions)) are introduced for the first time. The results show that, increasing of ambient wind speed does not change the shape of streamlines but increases the magnitude of time-

Estimates indicate that by 2050, 70% of the world's population will live in urban areas, expanding the total built-up space and density of those areas. The urban heat island (UHI) phenomenon causes increased temperatures in urban areas compared to outlying regions. It is considered one of the main anthropogenic climate modifications and is directly linked to land-use patterns. The objective of this

Thermal comfort is an important component of health-related urban well-being (UrbWellth) of the urban population. Outdoors in sunny conditions the human thermal environment is strongly influenced by radiation fluxes, which are often expressed as a mean radiant temperature (Tmrt). In an urban environment Tmrt is, especially in sunny conditions, strongly influenced by the building morphology due to shading

In the face of rapid urbanization and global warming, it is important to acquire a better understanding of urban climate and land-atmosphere interactions operating therein. The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model is a limited area model that has been used to study urban microclimate in many cities across the globe. However, such a study is lacking for the Canada's capital city: Ottawa. In

An overly complex urban climate/energy model would not be of much practical use in a decision support setting where a large number of year-long simulations are often necessary. While detailed modeling of urban momentum/energy exchanges can be attempted via Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) or mesoscale modeling, conducting multiple full year simulations in a design optimization or sensitivity analysis

It is now well accepted that global greenhouse gas emissions will result in drastic changes in climate and patterns of natural disasters such as wildfires in Canada and across the globe. This study quantifies potential future changes in wildfire regimes around 11 Canadian cities with high socio-economic value and historically exposed with low to high wildfire hazard. Changes in extreme wildfire weather

Here we explored human behaviour change impacts on urban climate during the G20 Osaka Summit and the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. The G20 Summit was held in the Asian megacity of Osaka, Japan on 28–29 June 2019. Due to the G20 restrictions, the traffic count in the city centre was lower by 33% compared with that 1 week prior (the usual week). The urban/office area population was reduced by

The increase in worldwide population is putting much pressure on the existent urban management plans. In this context, strategies and policies should be updated to conserve natural resources, but more importantly, to improve inhabitants' well-being. Studies focusing on pervious areas have many potentials, particularly regarding the assessment of potential green infrastructures within the vicinities

An urban microclimate model integrated with the mesoscale, local scale, microscale and building scale models is presented for the urban thermal environment and urban heat island (UHI) mitigation study. This integrated multi-scale and multi-physics urban microclimate model takes the impacts on the urban microclimate of multiple physical processes of regional climate, urban climate, building and pavement

In order to explore the actual impact of urban spatial morphology on real near-surface wind speed on the urban scale, taking Beijing, China as an example，this study adopted an urban-rural ratio method to construct a WsR (wind speed ratio) to quantify the impact of urbanization on the near-surface wind speed. The spatial morphological parameters such as building height, building density (BD), building

This article proposes a QGIS plug-in called TempMap, to obtain near surface air temperature maps from an urban meteorological network, the topography description and three parameters describing the urbanized surface fraction. The objective being to facilitate the communication and consideration of local climate in French urban planning practices, some methodological choices were done related to the

The article defines the retention potential of a housing development based on the example of two estates located in Cracow. Runoff from the urban area was calculated using the maximum intensity method (MIM). Highly effective rainfall retention based on green infrastructure has been proposed. It has been shown that by using extensive green roofs and permeable surfaces, it is possible to considerably

Several European urban areas are characterised by low air quality due to high local emission per unit surface. A further key feature can be related to the pollutant load due to adverse local meteo-climatic conditions. This study aims to compare the two urban agglomerations of Torino and Lyon – located on opposite sides of the Alps and characterised by similar size and population – to enlighten the

Globally, there are strategies to solve sustainability and health problems, but we continue to experience an increase in disease burden and environmental problems. This study applied a cross-sectional design to examine the perceived awareness on the environmental hazard-health nexus and the key factors that drive individuals WTP in environmental policy design in Accra, Ghana. Significant number of

Of all-natural disasters, extreme high temperatures events are the main cause of weather-related mortality. The compact urban settings of cities, the dependency on infrastructural systems as well as the larger concentration of people and economic activities make urban areas particularly vulnerable to health risks due to heat. To investigate vulnerabilities to heat, the study illustrates how vulnerability

Most state-of-the-art climate simulation ensembles misrepresent the effects of urbanization on local climate due to computational restrictions, posing a major limitation for urban climate projections. We circumvent this shortcoming by employing the SURFEX land-surface model coupled to TEB (Town Energy Balance) urban canopy model, forced by EURO-CORDEX regional climate simulations. We demonstrate the

A remarkable phenomenon in urban climate is the urban heat island (UHI) effect. Based on satellite imagery and geographical and climatological data, this study analyzes the patterns of land surface temperature (LST) and land use/land cover (LULC) in Hong Kong and the seasonal variations of the relationships between them. Remote sensing, Geographical Information System (GIS) and statistical methods

City-scale climate information is needed to inform policy, decision-making and climate action in the context of development agendas like Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Sendai Framework of Disaster Risk Reduction, New Urban Agenda and the Paris Agreement. Traditional approaches in climate services are often top-down and inadequate in meeting the needs of stakeholders in urban areas like African

The frequent diesel oil price adjustments and the cost of freight are among the main reasons for Brazilian truckers' strike that occurred in 2018. This event showed the strong influence of the road transport sector in the economy and air quality on different urban centers of Sao Paulo. Air pollutants concentrations were compared during the strike days and control days, considering equivalent meteorological

Tehran, the capital of Iran, is one of the most polluted cities in the Middle East. However, there is no clear evidence of the effects of Tehran green spaces on reducing air pollution because there are still challenges to application of vegetation for improving air quality. The current study investigates the effects of a large volume of green space with 275 ha area in the vicinity of major highways

In the last two decades, mixed-use has taken center stage in urban planning development in the United States. This study examined the relationship between mixed-use development and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the zip code level in the U.S. This research uses different implementation methods of a mixed-use development with different cultural and historical backgrounds to examine the data. The