IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v16y2024i13p5456-d1423287.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Cooling Effects and Human Comfort of Constructed Wetlands in Desert Cities: A Case Study of Avondale, Arizona

Author

Listed:
  • Anthony Brazel

    (School of Geographical Science & Urban Planning, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA)

  • Victor Ruiz-Aviles

    (School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA)

  • Bjoern Hagen

    (School of Sustainability, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA)

  • Jonathan M. Davis

    (School of Geographical Science & Urban Planning, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA)

  • David Pijawka

    (School of Geographical Science & Urban Planning, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA)

Abstract

Heat continues to be a hazard in the desert southwestern USA. This study presents the results of a preliminary microclimate field survey in two Avondale, Arizona, neighborhoods developed with artificial wastewater-treatment wetlands and one adjacent desert neighborhood. The preliminary field study reported here measured morning, near-noon, and afternoon air temperatures and, together with other observed variables, calculated mean radiant temperatures (critical to human comfort) at 28 locations across three neighborhoods on a sample day in September of 2018. The aim was to determine cooling effects of blue/green environments and identify benefits for residents. Overall results for September indicate 1–3 °C cooling, which is understandable for this time of year at summer’s end. Mean radiant temperature results are substantially different at lake sites versus dry neighborhood sites (by some 5–20 °C), likely due to the presence of fewer lateral radiant fluxes and cooler exposures at lake sites compared with dry neighborhoods. Cooling benefits likely provide year-round outdoor comfort compared to desert-landscaped communities. The authors reinforce the conclusion that recycled water and treatment systems can reduce local heat island conditions and aid in combating extreme heat in the desert southwest. This study also shows that constructed wastewater-treatment wetlands in desert cities support sustainable residential developments.

Suggested Citation

  • Anthony Brazel & Victor Ruiz-Aviles & Bjoern Hagen & Jonathan M. Davis & David Pijawka, 2024. "Cooling Effects and Human Comfort of Constructed Wetlands in Desert Cities: A Case Study of Avondale, Arizona," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-12, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:13:p:5456-:d:1423287
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/13/5456/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/13/5456/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bev Wilson, 2020. "Urban Heat Management and the Legacy of Redlining," Journal of the American Planning Association, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 86(4), pages 443-457, October.
    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. Zoé A Hamstead, 2024. "Thermal insecurity: Violence of heat and cold in the urban climate refuge," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 61(3), pages 531-548, February.
    2. Ashbaugh, Melissa & Kittner, Noah, 2024. "Addressing extreme urban heat and energy vulnerability of renters in Portland, OR with resilient household energy policies," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    3. Kenneth P. Brevoort, 2022. "Does Giving CRA Credit for Loan Purchases Increase Mortgage Credit in Low-to-Moderate Income Communities?," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2022-047, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    4. Lila Asher, 2021. "The relationship between historical redlining and Census Bureau Community Resilience Estimates in Columbus, Ohio," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 53(8), pages 1859-1861, November.
    5. Kelly C. Saverino & Emily Routman & Todd R. Lookingbill & Andre M. Eanes & Jeremy S. Hoffman & Rong Bao, 2021. "Thermal Inequity in Richmond, VA: The Effect of an Unjust Evolution of the Urban Landscape on Urban Heat Islands," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-18, February.
    6. Meen Wook Jung & Mônica A Haddad & Brian K Gelder, 2024. "Examining heat inequity in a Brazilian metropolitan region," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 51(1), pages 109-127, January.
    7. Yasamin Shaker & Sara E. Grineski & Timothy W. Collins & Aaron B. Flores, 2023. "Redlining, racism and food access in US urban cores," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 40(1), pages 101-112, March.
    8. Daniel A. Brent & Joseph H. Cook & Allison Lassiter, 2022. "The Effects of Eligibility and Voluntary Participation on the Distribution of Benefits in Environmental Programs: An Application to Green Stormwater Infrastructure," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 98(4), pages 579-598.
    9. Scott Markley, 2024. "Federal ‘redlining’ maps: A critical reappraisal," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 61(2), pages 195-213, February.
    10. Delia Byrnes & Lindsay Blum & William Walker, 2022. "Undisciplining Environmental Communication Pedagogy: Toward Environmental and Epistemic Justice in the Interdisciplinary Sustainability Classroom," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-17, December.
    11. Dong-ah Choi & Keunhyun Park & Alessandro Rigolon, 2020. "From XS to XL Urban Nature: Examining Access to Different Types of Green Space Using a ‘Just Sustainabilities’ Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-25, August.
    12. Claire Conzelmann & Jeremy Hoffman & Toan Phan & Arianna Salazar-Miranda, 2022. "Long-term Effects of Redlining on Environmental Risk Exposure," Working Paper 22-09R, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.
    13. Dongying Li & Galen D Newman & Bev Wilson & Yue Zhang & Robert D Brown, 2022. "Modeling the relationships between historical redlining, urban heat, and heat-related emergency department visits: An examination of 11 Texas cities," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 49(3), pages 933-952, March.
    14. Lee, Eun Kyung & Donley, Gwendolyn & Ciesielski, Timothy H. & Gill, India & Yamoah, Owusua & Roche, Abigail & Martinez, Roberto & Freedman, Darcy A., 2022. "Health outcomes in redlined versus non-redlined neighborhoods: A systematic review and meta-analysis," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 294(C).
    15. Daniel P. Johnson, 2022. "Population-Based Disparities in U.S. Urban Heat Exposure from 2003 to 2018," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-20, September.
    16. Noel A Manzano Gómez, 2023. "Planning for social distancing: How the legacy of historical epidemics shaped COVID-19's spread in Madrid," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 60(9), pages 1570-1587, July.

    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:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:13:p:5456-:d:1423287. 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.