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An Evidence-Based Review of Impacts, Strategies and Tools to Mitigate Urban Heat Islands

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  • Walter Leal Filho

    (HAW Hamburg, Faculty of Life Sciences, Research and Transfer Centre “Sustainable Development and Climate Change Management”, Ulmenliet 20, D-21033 Hamburg, Germany
    School of Science and the Environment, Manchester Metropolitan University, Chester Street, Manchester M1 5GD, UK)

  • Leyre Echevarria Icaza

    (Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, Delft University of Technology, Julianalaan 134, 2628 BL Delft, The Netherlands)

  • Victoria Omeche Emanche

    (HAW Hamburg, Faculty of Life Sciences, Research and Transfer Centre “Sustainable Development and Climate Change Management”, Ulmenliet 20, D-21033 Hamburg, Germany)

  • Abul Quasem Al-Amin

    (Institute of Energy Policy and Research (IEPRe), Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN), 43000 Kajang, Malaysia)

Abstract

The impacts of climate changes on cities, which are home to over half of the world’s population, are already being felt. In many cases, the intensive speed with which urban centres have been growing means that little attention has been paid to the role played by climatic factors in maintaining quality of life. Among the negative consequences of rapid city growth is the expansion of the problems posed by urban heat islands (UHIs), defined as areas in a city that are much warmer than other sites, especially in comparison with rural areas. This paper analyses the consistency of the UHI-related literature in three stages: first it outlines its characteristics and impacts in a wide variety of cities around the world, which poses pressures to public health in many different countries. Then it introduces strategies which may be employed in order to reduce its effects, and finally it analyses available tools to systematize the initial high level assessment of the phenomenon for multidisciplinary teams involved in the urban planning process. The analysis of literature on the characteristics, impacts, strategies and digital tools to assess on the UHI, reveals the wide variety of parameters, methods, tools and strategies analysed and suggested in the different studies, which does not always allow to compare or standardize the diagnosis or solutions.

Suggested Citation

  • Walter Leal Filho & Leyre Echevarria Icaza & Victoria Omeche Emanche & Abul Quasem Al-Amin, 2017. "An Evidence-Based Review of Impacts, Strategies and Tools to Mitigate Urban Heat Islands," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-29, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:14:y:2017:i:12:p:1600-:d:123544
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Reinhard Mechler & Stefan Hochrainer & Asbjørn Aaheim & Håkon Salen & Anita Wreford, 2010. "Modelling economic impacts and adaptation to extreme events: Insights from European case studies," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 15(7), pages 737-762, October.
    2. Lei Zhao & Xuhui Lee & Ronald B. Smith & Keith Oleson, 2014. "Strong contributions of local background climate to urban heat islands," Nature, Nature, vol. 511(7508), pages 216-219, July.
    3. Leyre Echevarría Icaza & Franklin Van der Hoeven, 2017. "Regionalist Principles to Reduce the Urban Heat Island Effect," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(5), pages 1-17, April.
    4. Leyre Echevarría Icaza & Andy Van den Dobbelsteen & Frank Van der Hoeven, 2016. "Integrating Urban Heat Assessment in Urban Plans," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-15, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Haruna M. Moda & Walter Leal Filho & Aprajita Minhas, 2019. "Impacts of Climate Change on Outdoor Workers and Their Safety: Some Research Priorities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-21, September.
    2. Majda Ćesić & Katarina Rogulj & Jelena Kilić Pamuković & Andrija Krtalić, 2024. "A Systematic Review on Fuzzy Decision Support Systems and Multi-Criteria Analysis in Urban Heat Island Management," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-41, April.
    3. Patryk Antoszewski & Dariusz Świerk & Michał Krzyżaniak, 2020. "Statistical Review of Quality Parameters of Blue-Green Infrastructure Elements Important in Mitigating the Effect of the Urban Heat Island in the Temperate Climate (C) Zone," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-36, September.
    4. Antonio Ligsay & Olivier Telle & Richard Paul, 2021. "Challenges to Mitigating the Urban Health Burden of Mosquito-Borne Diseases in the Face of Climate Change," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-12, May.
    5. Gustavo J. Nagy & Walter Leal Filho & Ulisses M. Azeiteiro & Johanna Heimfarth & José E. Verocai & Chunlan Li, 2018. "An Assessment of the Relationships between Extreme Weather Events, Vulnerability, and the Impacts on Human Wellbeing in Latin America," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-25, August.
    6. Marcelo Reyes & Gabriel Pérez & Julià Coma, 2024. "The Role of Building-Integrated Greenery Systems in Building Sustainability Rating Systems," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-23, July.
    7. Patryk Antoszewski & Michał Krzyżaniak & Dariusz Świerk, 2022. "The Future of Climate-Resilient and Climate-Neutral City in the Temperate Climate Zone," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-60, April.

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