Chapter 5 - Use of landscape metrics for the mitigation of the surface urban heat island effect in Mediterranean cities

Abstract

The increase of the ambient air and land surface temperatures in cities has serious impacts to the microclimate of the cities as well as to their economic and social functions. The paper examines the presence and strength of the surface urban heat island for selected Mediterranean cities from a different perspective, namely through the use of landscape metrics. In this way, new knowledge in support of the mitigation of the surface urban heat island effect is introduced, taken that land surface temperature is correlated and interpreted as a function of a variety of landscape (spatial) metrics reflecting landscape composition and configuration, which generally characterize Mediterranean cities. The methodology is considered supportive for the division of urban areas to local climate zones, the recognition of the impact of urban form to the state of the thermal environment as well as of the cooling potential of small and medium-sized parks. Finally, it supports the design of the most appropriate mitigation measures for cities in the Mediterranean climate, especially in view of the alarming climate predictions for the Mediterranean area.