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Published (Version of Record)CC BY V4.0, Open Access
Journal article
Urban heat mitigation by green and blue infrastructure: Drivers, effectiveness, and future needs
Innovation (New York, NY), Vol.5(2), 100588
2024
PMID: 38440259
Abstract
Public summary
• This review focuses on how to mitigate the risk of urban overheating by green-blue-grey infrastructure (GBGI).
• Fifty-one GBGI types in 10 key categories assessed by monitoring > modeling > remote sensing > mixed methods.
• Highest cooling efficiency: botanical garden > wetland > green wall > street trees.
• New GBGI implementation should consider future climate impact, multifunctional co-benefits, and unintended consequences.
The combination of urbanization and global warming leads to urban overheating and compounds the frequency and intensity of extreme heat events due to climate change. Yet, the risk of urban overheating can be mitigated by urban green-blue-grey infrastructure (GBGI), such as parks, wetlands, and engineered greening, which have the potential to effectively reduce summer air temperatures. Despite many reviews, the evidence bases on quantified GBGI cooling benefits remains partial and the practical recommendations for implementation are unclear. This systematic literature review synthesizes the evidence base for heat mitigation and related co-benefits, identifies knowledge gaps, and proposes recommendations for their implementation to maximize their benefits. After screening 27,486 papers, 202 were reviewed, based on 51 GBGI types categorized under 10 main divisions. Certain GBGI (green walls, parks, street trees) have been well researched for their urban cooling capabilities. However, several other GBGI have received negligible (zoological garden, golf course, estuary) or minimal (private garden, allotment) attention. The most efficient air cooling was observed in botanical gardens (5.0 ± 3.5°C), wetlands (4.9 ± 3.2°C), green walls (4.1 ± 4.2°C), street trees (3.8 ± 3.1°C), and vegetated balconies (3.8 ± 2.7°C). Under changing climate conditions (2070–2100) with consideration of RCP8.5, there is a shift in climate subtypes, either within the same climate zone (e.g., Dfa to Dfb and Cfb to Cfa) or across other climate zones (e.g., Dfb [continental warm-summer humid] to BSk [dry, cold semi-arid] and Cwa [temperate] to Am [tropical]). These shifts may result in lower efficiency for the current GBGI in the future. Given the importance of multiple services, it is crucial to balance their functionality, cooling performance, and other related co-benefits when planning for the future GBGI. This global GBGI heat mitigation inventory can assist policymakers and urban planners in prioritizing effective interventions to reduce the risk of urban overheating, filling research gaps, and promoting community resilience.
Details
- Title
- Urban heat mitigation by green and blue infrastructure: Drivers, effectiveness, and future needs
- Authors/Creators
- Prashant Kumar - University of SurreySisay E. Debele - University of SurreySoheila Khalili - University of SurreyChristos H. Halios - University of ReadingJeetendra Sahani - University of SurreyNasrin Aghamohammadi - School Design and the Built Environment, Curtin University Sustainability Policy Institute, Kent St, Bentley 6102, Western AustraliaMaria de Fatima Andrade - University of Sao PauloMaria Athanassiadou - Met OfficeKamaldeep Bhui - University of OxfordNerea Calvillo - University of WarwickShi-Jie Cao - Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE), School of Sustainability, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UKFrederic Coulon - Cranfield UniversityJill L. Edmondson - University of SheffieldDavid Fletcher - UK Centre for Ecology & HydrologyEdmilson Dias de Freitas - University of Sao PauloHai Guo - Hong Kong Polytechnic UniversityMatthew C. Hort - Met OfficeMadhusudan Katti - North Carolina State UniversityThomas Rodding Kjeldsen - University of BathGiuliano Maselli Locosselli - University of Sao PauloSteffen Lehmann - University of Nevada, Las VegasShelagh K. Malham - Bangor UniversityLidia Morawska - University of SurreyRajan Parajuli - North Carolina State UniversityChristopher D.F. Rogers - University of BirminghamRunming Yao - University of ReadingFang Wang - Institute of Soil ScienceJannis Wenk - University of BathLaurence Jones - UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
- Publication Details
- Innovation (New York, NY), Vol.5(2), 100588
- Publisher
- Elsevier Inc
- Identifiers
- 991005645769307891
- Copyright
- © 2024 The Author(s).
- Murdoch Affiliation
- Harry Butler Institute
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
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