IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jlands/v14y2025i1p194-d1570359.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Reflectance and Thermal Micrometeorological Characteristics of an Urban Green Space in the Mediterranean During July’s 2023 Heatwave

Author

Listed:
  • Nikolaos D. Proutsos

    (Institute of Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems, Hellenic Agricultural Organization-DIMITRA, 11528 Athens, Greece)

  • Alexandra D. Solomou

    (Institute of Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems, Hellenic Agricultural Organization-DIMITRA, 11528 Athens, Greece)

  • Stefanos P. Stefanidis

    (Forest Research Institute, Hellenic Agricultural Organization-DIMITRA, Vasilika, 57006 Thessaloniki, Greece)

  • Ioannis X. Tsiros

    (Meteorology Laboratory, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece)

Abstract

The thermal and optical behavior of different elements in the urban environment is critical for urban climate regulation and planning. This study investigates the micrometeorological conditions prevailing in an urban green space (UGS) in Greece, during the heatwave of July 2023, addressing the effects of various surface materials on thermal dynamics and the urban heat island (UHI) phenomenon. The research is based on ground surface temperature and albedo measurements on different materials in the UGS, in the morning and at noon, showing great temperature differences between the different types of materials. The findings highlight the complex interaction between high-albedo surfaces and surface temperature values, suggesting that the proper selection of materials can highly affect the optical and thermal behavior of the urban environment. Artificial materials absorb more heat compared to natural vegetation, leading to high surface temperature values, reaching at noon, for example, 58.9 °C for asphalt. For the natural surfaces, dry bare soil presents similar thermal behavior (64.1 °C at noon), while green surfaces had much lower temperatures (e.g., 38.3 °C for grass). Thermal comfort indices revealed that July 2023 experienced extensive “very hot” conditions, imposing the urgent need for strategic urban planning to mitigate heat impacts. The study highlights that in order to create climate-resilient environments and improve thermal comfort, it is crucial to include suitable materials and a variety of vegetation in urban design. Such insights into the complex nature of urban microclimate indicates also the issue of the careful selection of materials and plant species in urban greening initiatives to help cities face the UHI phenomenon.

Suggested Citation

  • Nikolaos D. Proutsos & Alexandra D. Solomou & Stefanos P. Stefanidis & Ioannis X. Tsiros, 2025. "Reflectance and Thermal Micrometeorological Characteristics of an Urban Green Space in the Mediterranean During July’s 2023 Heatwave," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-19, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:14:y:2025:i:1:p:194-:d:1570359
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/1/194/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/1/194/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Elie Hanna & María R. Felipe-Lucia & Francisco A. Comín, 2024. "Scenario Analysis of Green Infrastructure to Adapt Medium-Size Cities to Climate Change: The Case of Zaragoza, Spain," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-23, February.
    2. Yang, Jiachuan & Wang, Zhi-Hua & Kaloush, Kamil E., 2015. "Environmental impacts of reflective materials: Is high albedo a ‘silver bullet’ for mitigating urban heat island?," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 830-843.
    3. Jeremy Carter & S.M. Labib & Ian Mell, 2024. "Understanding and Assessing Climate Change Risk to Green Infrastructure: Experiences from Greater Manchester (UK)," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-22, May.
    4. Cheng Gong & Huijun Pang & Aruhan Olhnuud & Fan Hao & Feinan Lyu, 2024. "Green Infrastructure Fluctuations in Urban Agglomeration of Shanxi Province, China: Implications for Controlling Ecological Crises," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-14, April.
    5. Nikolaos D. Proutsos & Alexandra D. Solomou & Michaela Petropoulou & Nikolaos E. Chatzipavlis, 2022. "Micrometeorological and Hydraulic Properties of an Urban Green Space on a Warm Summer Day in a Mediterranean City (Attica–Greece)," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-16, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Susca, T. & Zanghirella, F. & Colasuonno, L. & Del Fatto, V., 2022. "Effect of green wall installation on urban heat island and building energy use: A climate-informed systematic literature review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    2. Fabiani, C. & Castaldo, V.L. & Pisello, A.L., 2020. "Thermochromic materials for indoor thermal comfort improvement: Finite difference modeling and validation in a real case-study building," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 262(C).
    3. Wang, Chenghao & Wang, Zhi-Hua & Kaloush, Kamil E. & Shacat, Joseph, 2021. "Cool pavements for urban heat island mitigation: A synthetic review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    4. Huang, Xinjie & Song, Jiyun & Wang, Chenghao & Chan, Pak Wai, 2022. "Realistic representation of city street-level human thermal stress via a new urban climate-human coupling system," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    5. Fabiani, C. & Pisello, A.L. & Bou-Zeid, E. & Yang, J. & Cotana, F., 2019. "Adaptive measures for mitigating urban heat islands: The potential of thermochromic materials to control roofing energy balance," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 247(C), pages 155-170.
    6. Stefanos Stefanidis & Nikolaos Proutsos & Vasileios Alexandridis & Giorgos Mallinis, 2024. "Ecosystem Services Supply from Peri-Urban Watersheds in Greece: Soil Conservation and Water Retention," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-18, May.
    7. Fabiani, Claudia & Chiatti, Chiara & Pisello, Anna Laura, 2021. "Development of photoluminescent composites for energy efficiency in smart outdoor lighting applications: An experimental and numerical investigation," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 172(C), pages 1-15.
    8. Anna Eknes Stagrum & Erlend Andenæs & Tore Kvande & Jardar Lohne, 2020. "Climate Change Adaptation Measures for Buildings—A Scoping Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-18, February.
    9. Alessandra Battisti & Flavia Laureti & Michele Zinzi & Giulia Volpicelli, 2018. "Climate Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Roofs and Pavements: A Case Study at Sapienza University Campus," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-30, October.
    10. Xu, Ling & Wang, Jiayu & Xiao, Feipeng & EI-Badawy, Sherif & Awed, Ahmed, 2021. "Potential strategies to mitigate the heat island impacts of highway pavement on megacities with considerations of energy uses," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 281(C).
    11. Chen, Liutao & Sun, Yong & Zhang, Ning & Yang, Jiachuan & Wang, Dan, 2024. "Quantifying the benefits of BIPV windows in urban environment under climate change: A comparison of three Chinese cities," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 221(C).
    12. Antonios Kolimenakis & Alexandra D. Solomou & Nikolaos Proutsos & Evangelia V. Avramidou & Evangelia Korakaki & Georgios Karetsos & Aimilia B. Kontogianni & Konstantinos Kontos & Christos Georgiadis &, 2022. "Public Perceptions of the Socioeconomic Importance of Urban Green Areas in the Era of COVID-19: A Case Study of a Nationwide Survey in Greece," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-14, December.
    13. Kim, Hyungkyoo & Jung, Yoonhee & Oh, Jae In, 2019. "Transformation of urban heat island in the three-center city of Seoul, South Korea: The role of master plans," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 328-338.
    14. Jaehyun Ha & Yeri Choi & Sugie Lee & Kyushik Oh, 2020. "Diurnal and Seasonal Variations in the Effect of Urban Environmental Factors on Air Temperature: A Consecutive Regression Analysis Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(2), pages 1-21, January.
    15. Rosso, Federica & Golasi, Iacopo & Castaldo, Veronica Lucia & Piselli, Cristina & Pisello, Anna Laura & Salata, Ferdinando & Ferrero, Marco & Cotana, Franco & de Lieto Vollaro, Andrea, 2018. "On the impact of innovative materials on outdoor thermal comfort of pedestrians in historical urban canyons," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 825-839.
    16. Yaning Qiao & Andrew R. Dawson & Tony Parry & Gerardo Flintsch & Wenshun Wang, 2020. "Flexible Pavements and Climate Change: A Comprehensive Review and Implications," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-21, February.
    17. Chenghao Wang & Jiyun Song & Dachuan Shi & Janet L. Reyna & Henry Horsey & Sarah Feron & Yuyu Zhou & Zutao Ouyang & Ying Li & Robert B. Jackson, 2023. "Impacts of climate change, population growth, and power sector decarbonization on urban building energy use," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-16, December.
    18. Siyeon Park & Sugie Lee & Kyushik Oh, 2024. "Defining and Verifying New Local Climate Zones with Three-Dimensional Built Environments and Urban Metabolism," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-25, September.
    19. Yan Rao & Shaohua Zhang & Kun Yang & Yan Ma & Weilin Wang & Lede Niu, 2024. "Scale Differences and Gradient Effects of Local Climate Zone Spatial Pattern on Urban Heat Island Impact—A Case in Guangzhou’s Core Area," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-22, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:14:y:2025:i:1:p:194-:d:1570359. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.