Urban Heat Islands, Global Warming and Effects

A special issue of Atmosphere (ISSN 2073-4433). This special issue belongs to the section "Climatology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2024 | Viewed by 547

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
ENEA Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, Via Anguillarese, 301, S. Maria di Galeria, 00123 Rome, Italy
Interests: building energy efficiency; urban climate; urban sustainability; built environment; urban heat island; global warming; local warming; energy transition; decarbonization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail
Guest Editor
ENEA Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, Via Anguillarese, 301, S. Maria di Galeria, 00123 Rome, Italy
Interests: dynamic thermal modelling; building energy modelling; energy performance in buildings; building energy efficiency; built environment; urban heat island; district heating modelling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The urban environment is where most of the global population currently lives. The increase in population and the consequent increase in urbanization has led to a surge in urban temperatures compared to the rural environs called urban heat islands. In summer, urban overheating affects human health and building energy use for cooling. In turn, the latter feeds both local and global warming, forming a vicious circle.

In such a framework, adaptation is crucial for densely urbanized cities; therefore, the present Special Issue is aimed at showcasing advancements both in UHI detection and forecasting, and in the mitigation of UHI effects on building energy use, human health, and societal costs. Specifically, studies focused on nature-based solutions to adapt to urban overheating would be particularly appreciated. You are invited to contribute both methodological research and case studies. Furthermore, studies focused on the effect of urban overheating on global warming and on building energy efficiency to decrease the effect of summer urban overheating on buildings’ occupants are also welcome.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Advancements in UHI detection and forecasting;
  • UHI adaptation;
  • Effects of urban overheating;
  • Nature-based solutions for UHI adaptation;
  • Nature-based solutions for sustainable cities;
  • Advancement in nature-based solution modelling;
  • Effect of nature-based solution deployment;
  • Urban overheating and global warming.

We very much look forward to your submissions.

Best regards,

Dr. Tiziana Susca
Dr. Fabio Zanghirella
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • UHI
  • urban heat island
  • UHI adaptation
  • nature-based solutions
  • NbS modelling
  • UHI impacts
  • building energy demand
  • sustainable cities
  • global warming

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

18 pages, 8263 KiB  
Article
Atmospheric Conditions Related to Extreme Heat and Human Comfort in the City of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) during the First Quarter of the Year 2024
by Ayobami Badiru Moreira, Lucas Suassuna de Albuquerque Wanderley, Cristiana Coutinho Duarte and Andreas Matzarakis
Atmosphere 2024, 15(8), 973; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos15080973 - 14 Aug 2024
Viewed by 149
Abstract
This study aims to investigate the atmospheric conditions and human thermal comfort related to extreme heat in Rio de Janeiro during the first quarter of 2024. The dataset includes meteorological data from the A636-Jacarepaguá station of INMET and seven stations from the Alerta [...] Read more.
This study aims to investigate the atmospheric conditions and human thermal comfort related to extreme heat in Rio de Janeiro during the first quarter of 2024. The dataset includes meteorological data from the A636-Jacarepaguá station of INMET and seven stations from the Alerta Rio system. Weather types were classified using principal components analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA). Additionally, three thermal comfort indices were calculated: the heat index (HI), physiologically equivalent temperature (PET), and modified PET (mPET). Five groups of surface weather types were identified, with two being more frequent and associated with extreme heat events. These two groups accounted for over 70% of the days in all months. Critical thermal sensation values were found, particularly at the Guaratiba station, where the daytime HI exceeded 60 °C, and at the Riocentro station, where the nighttime HI surpassed 40 °C. The HI showed a greater range and variability compared with the PET and mPET, highlighting the importance of investigating microclimatic factors which intensify urban heat in central and coastal areas and cause daytime overheating in more distant regions like Guaratiba. This study emphasizes the need for detailed investigation into microclimatic factors and their public health implications, especially in areas with high tourist activity and vulnerable populations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Heat Islands, Global Warming and Effects)
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