Interpreting air temperature generated from urban climatic map by urban morphology in Taipei

Abstract

The intense development of Taipei City has caused high thermal stress in its urban areas. This study used the urban climatic map (UCmap) and the local climate zone (LCZ) to analyze how land development patterns have affected urban thermal conditions. The UCmap is an efficient tool for obtaining information about urban microclimatic conditions based on urban development parameters and the map provides urban planners with information to mitigate the growing problem of thermal stress. The LCZ is system for classifying urban morphology including land cover, buildings, and vegetation, which can be used to relate land patterns to climate conditions. The results of this study indicate that combining UCmap and the LCZ is helpful for assessing thermal conditions in urban areas, and this approach can be used in many cities to determine the most suitable built environment for mitigating thermal stress.