Urban planning to minimize Urban Heat Island (UHI)

“No city is immune to UHI, but it can be reduced through greening”

Urbanization affects heat concentration in cities, creating the urban heat island effect (UHI). This phenomenon is predominantly caused by concrete, stone and road surfaces absorbing and retaining energy from the sun. As a result, the urban area is significantly warmer than its surrounding rural area, especially during nighttime. This effect increases energy costs, air pollution levels, and heat-related illness and mortality, particularly for the most vulnerable populations and most vulnerable areas of the city. Urban planning, which determines the city density, morphology and land use is key to mitigate UHI. Moreover, and related to land use, it is well-known that trees and green areas have been proven to cool cities. Additionally, green areas and ‘nature walks’ are increasingly linked to physical and mental health benefits, proving also habitat for animals and enhancing biodiversity.

Major policy questions:

. Which areas have higher surface heat concentration within the city?
.Which are the most affected neighbourhoods regarding UHI?
. What solutions are available and how much can nature-based solutions improve the problem?
.Where are the greening possibilities and best places to start planning solutions?

Climate impact diagrams aim to build a shared understanding among city stakeholders on the opportunities and risks of climate change for the different city sectors. It is a first step to start the conversation about heat stress impacts and to gain insights into the opportunities and priorities. One of the challenges is related to what city planners can do to minimize UHI effect in vulnerable population. Heatmaps, represented by Surface Urban Heat Island (SUHI) and social vulnerability information allows the detection of hot-spots areas within a city. This tandem can support risk prioritization about where to start planning solutions. Finally, urban planners need to know what solutions are available and how effective they are in the city context. The Climate Resilient City Toolbox (CRCT) contains over 50 adaptation measures and allows planners to select and locate them on a city area and compare its effectiveness to reduce heat stress.

Urban planning to minimize Urban Heat Island (UHI)​

Major policy questions:

The climate story of Gdynia​

Urban planning to minimize Urban Heat Island (UHI)

The climate story of Gdynia