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The Impact of Albedo Increase to Mitigate the Urban Heat Island in Terni (Italy) Using the WRF Model

Author

Listed:
  • Elena Morini

    (Engineering Department, CIRIAF, University of Perugia, Via G. Duranti 67, Perugia 06125, Italy)

  • Ali G. Touchaei

    (AMESiS Energy Inc, Montreal, QC H4b 1r8, Canada)

  • Beatrice Castellani

    (Engineering Department, CIRIAF, University of Perugia, Via G. Duranti 67, Perugia 06125, Italy)

  • Federico Rossi

    (Engineering Department, CIRIAF, University of Perugia, Via G. Duranti 67, Perugia 06125, Italy)

  • Franco Cotana

    (Engineering Department, CIRIAF, University of Perugia, Via G. Duranti 67, Perugia 06125, Italy)

Abstract

The impacts of the urban heat island (UHI) phenomenon on energy consumption, air quality, and human health have been widely studied and described. Mitigation strategies have been developed to fight the UHI and its detrimental consequences. A potential countermeasure is the increase of urban albedo by using cool materials. Cool materials are highly reflective materials that can maintain lower surface temperatures and thus can present an effective solution to mitigate the UHI. Terni’s proven record of high temperatures along with related environmental and comfort issues in its urban areas have reflected the local consequences of global warming. On the other hand, it promoted integrated actions by the government and research institutes to investigate solutions to mitigate the UHI effects. In this study, the main goal is to investigate the effectiveness of albedo increase as a strategy to tackle the UHI, by using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) mesoscale model to simulate the urban climate of Terni (Italy). Three different scenarios through a summer heat wave in the summer of 2015 are analyzed. The Base Scenario, which simulates the actual conditions of the urban area, is the control case. In the Albedo Scenario (ALB Scenario), the albedo of the roof, walls and road of the whole urban area is increased. In the Albedo-Industrial Scenario (ALB-IND Scenario), the albedo of the roof, walls and road of the area occupied by the main industrial site of Terni, located in close proximity to the city center, is increased. The simulation results show that the UHI is decreased up to 2 °C both at daytime and at nighttime in the ALB and in ALB-IND Scenarios. Peak temperatures in the urban area can be decreased by 1 °C at daytime, and by about 2 °C at nighttime. Albedo increase in the area of interest might thus represent an opportunity to decrease the UHI effect and its consequences.

Suggested Citation

  • Elena Morini & Ali G. Touchaei & Beatrice Castellani & Federico Rossi & Franco Cotana, 2016. "The Impact of Albedo Increase to Mitigate the Urban Heat Island in Terni (Italy) Using the WRF Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(10), pages 1-14, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:8:y:2016:i:10:p:999-:d:79898
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    9. Chaobin Yang & Xingyuan He & Fengqin Yan & Lingxue Yu & Kun Bu & Jiuchun Yang & Liping Chang & Shuwen Zhang, 2017. "Mapping the Influence of Land Use/Land Cover Changes on the Urban Heat Island Effect—A Case Study of Changchun, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-17, February.
    10. Masataka Kasai & Tsubasa Okaze & Akashi Mochida & Kazumasa Hanaoka, 2017. "Heatstroke Risk Predictions for Current and Near-Future Summers in Sendai, Japan, Based on Mesoscale WRF Simulations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-17, August.
    11. Jing Kong & Yongling Zhao & Jan Carmeliet & Chengwang Lei, 2021. "Urban Heat Island and Its Interaction with Heatwaves: A Review of Studies on Mesoscale," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-26, September.
    12. Bahare Moradi & Rojin Akbari & Seyedeh Reyhaneh Taghavi & Farnaz Fardad & Abdulsalam Esmailzadeh & Mohammad Zia Ahmadi & Sina Attarroshan & Fatemeh Nickravesh & Jamal Jokar Arsanjani & Mehdi Amirkhani, 2023. "A Scenario-Based Spatial Multi-Criteria Decision-Making System for Urban Environment Quality Assessment: Case Study of Tehran," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-24, August.
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