Abstract
The increased rates of urbanization and industrialization of the 20th and 21st centuries have dramatically changed the land use and cover of modern cities, contributing to the degradation of the urban microclimate and the rise of the ambient urban air temperatures. Given the multiple negative energy, environmental and social consequences of urban warming, the present paper summarizes the findings of previous studies, assessing the main causes of the phenomenon along with the key investigation methods involving experimental and computational approaches. There follows a description of the most common mitigations, and adaption strategies towards the attenuation of urban warming are described. The analyzed elements include the addition of green spaces such as trees, grass and green roofs; changes on the albedo of the urban surfaces and water-based techniques, as well as a combination of them. The discussion of the reported findings in the existing literature clearly reflects the impact of urban morphology on the outdoor thermal environment, providing also useful information for professionals and urban planners involved at the phase of decision-making.
Highlights
The increased rates of urbanization and industrialization of the 20th and 21st centuries have dramatically changed the land use and cover of modern cities, affecting the citizens’ quality of life and lifestyle both in positive and negative ways
To address the urban warming issue and the degraded urban microclimatic conditions, the term “urban heat island phenomenon” (UHI) is used, describing the divergence of atmospheric conditions and the higher ambient air temperatures (Tair ) values occurring in an urban district, compared to those of the surrounding rural areas [3,4,5]
Observational approaches have been the dominant approach for the investigation of the urban microclimate, while the acquired experimental results constituted the basis for further development of the energy balance models
Summary
The increased rates of urbanization and industrialization of the 20th and 21st centuries have dramatically changed the land use and cover of modern cities, affecting the citizens’ quality of life and lifestyle both in positive and negative ways. One of the most important negative outcomes of urbanization involves urban warming and high ambient urban air temperatures, attributed to various uncontrollable and controllable parameters. To address the urban warming issue and the degraded urban microclimatic conditions, the term “urban heat island phenomenon” (UHI) is used, describing the divergence of atmospheric conditions and the higher ambient air temperatures (Tair ) values occurring in an urban district, compared to those of the surrounding rural areas [3,4,5]. The compactness of cities and the increased building densities may lead to the entrapment of longwave radiation, emitted by the ground and buildings’ surfaces at night, inhibiting urban cooling [6,7].
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
