Artificial Turf on Urban Landscapes: An Overview

Abstract

The use of artificial turf is gaining popularity for residential lawns and commercial applications due to its low maintenance cost and water conservation potential, in addition to its more commonly used applications in sports fields. Artificial turf can have high installation costs and also absorb more heat compared to natural grass contributing to heat hazards. This paper provides a review of thermal characteristics of artificial turf, a comparison between artificial turf and natural turf, and the health and environmental impacts of artificial turf. This review was conducted with 26 peer-reviewed articles, which were searched using the keywords artificial turf, synthetic grass, artificial grass, urban, thermal, temperature, health impact, environmental impact, and heat. Among the reviewed papers, eight have discussed the thermal characteristics and energy balance and surface temperature of artificial turf. Thirteen papers have discussed the health and environmental impacts of artificial turf. Five papers have discussed the comparison between artificial turf and natural turf. Studies on artificial turf would be helpful for urban planners to understand their utility, impacts, and trade-offs.