Does High Rise Building Help Mitigate the Urban Thermal Environment? Influence of Densification of City on Land Surface Temperature- A Case Study of Ahmedabad

Abstract

Increased temperatures in urban areas bring about various problems and thermal discomfort. Many focused on detecting the effects of land cover patterns on Land Surface Temperature (LST) using satellite imagery and remote sensing tools, as well as subjective study (People's perceptions) of the thermal environment. A very limited number of studies (Wang & Xu, 2021) (Yang et al., 2010) have focused on the different building density groups and their relation to LST at the local level. This study focused on the specific land cover pattern, i.e., built-up and vegetation, in different localities of Ahmedabad, to explore the relationship between the LST and building density (high-rise, mid-rise, low-rise) and vegetation ratio (High- more than 30%, low-less than 30%). By using quantitative meteorological data and satellite imagery (Landsat-8 & Landsat 5), an experimental study will be conducted to observe the impact of building density groups and vegetation on the local thermal environment. This study will help prove that high density in combination with high greenery coverage can mitigate the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect at the neighborhood scale. The study will also enhance the understanding of LST at a micro-scale and give insight into mitigating urban heat intensity through urban design and vegetation.Increased temperatures in urban areas bring about various problems and thermal discomfort. Many focused on detecting the effects of land cover patterns on Land Surface Temperature (LST) using satellite imagery and remote sensing tools, as well as subjective study (People's perceptions) of the thermal environment. A very limited number of studies (Wang & Xu, 2021) (Yang et al., 2010) have focused on the different building density groups and their relation to LST at the local level. This study focused on the specific land cover pattern, i.e., built-up and vegetation, in different localities of Ahmedabad, to explore the relationship between the LST and building density (high-rise, mid-rise, low-rise) and vegetation ratio (High- more than 30%, low-less than 30%). By using quantitative meteorological data and satellite imagery (Landsat-8 & Landsat 5), an experimental study will be conducted to observe the impact of building density groups and vegetation on the local thermal environment. This study will help prove that high density in combination with high greenery coverage can mitigate the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect at the neighborhood scale. The study will also enhance the understanding of LST at a micro-scale and give insight into mitigating urban heat intensity through urban design and vegetation.