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Urban Heat Island Mitigation Index Tool

Solution Overview

An online, interactive urban heat mitigation index was developed by the Cooperative Research Centre for Low Carbon Living (CRC LCL) in 2019 to provide high-level guidelines for urban planning decisions to mitigate urban heat in varying climates and development typologies.[3] This approach bridges the gap between urban climate research and the practical application of heat reduction strategies in public spaces through simulations tailored to microclimates across different regions in different cities.[2] The initiative was designed by researchers at UNSW in partnership with the CRC for Low Carbon Living, with project leadership from Associate Professor Lan Ding from UNSW's Faculty of Built Environment.[1][2]

Technical Components

The project produced two distinct online tools as its main outcomes.[5] The publicly available Urban Heat Island Mitigation Index tool is accessible at uhimitigationindex.be.unsw.edu.au and provides high-level guidelines for varying climates and development typologies to support urban planning decisions across different urban contexts.[3][4] The companion Microclimate and Urban Heat Island Mitigation Decision Support Tool has restricted access, with login credentials available by request from UHI-Index@unsw.edu.au.[4][5] This decision-support system brings together scientific models, case studies and broad guidelines to help government and built environment industry reference top heat mitigation strategies and effects, relative to their city.[4][5] The technology integrates scientific models with a range of mitigation techniques to perform urban heat island mitigation analysis across both building and urban scales, such as building coatings and roofs, urban form and density, greenery and infrastructure.[4][5] The system combines scientific models, case studies and broad sustainability guidelines into an easy to use 3D interface.[1] Users can visualize the effects of heat mitigation techniques such as adding trees or incorporating cool roofs and pavements by overlaying them onto maps of existing infrastructure.[1] According to Dr Ding, the tool is unique because it integrates scientific models with a range of mitigation techniques to provide urban heat island mitigation analysis across both urban and building scales, such as urban form, parks, greenery, waterways and cool roofs.[1]

Implementation Details

The Urban Heat Island Mitigation Decision Support tool research project was led by the University of New South Wales through the Cooperative Research Centre for Low Carbon Living (CRCLCL).[6] Project RP2023 ran from January 2017 to December 2018 under the leadership of Dr Lan Ding from UNSW, with funding provided by the CRC for Low Carbon Living.[4][5] The research project came to a conclusion in FY19.[6] The Microclimate and UHI Mitigation Decision-Support Tool was developed by the Low Carbon Living Cooperative Research Centre, whose 45 members include the CSIRO, Bluescope, and five Australian universities.[2] CRCLCL chief executive officer Professor Deo Prasad stated that the tool is the result of collaboration between multiple research streams and stakeholders, including state and local governments, the built environment industry and academia.[1] Landcom was involved in the collaborative research as a member of the project steering committee, and also made their projects available as test beds for the practical application of the research.[6] During FY19, testing of the UHI-DS Tool was completed at Green Square Town Centre and Macarthur Heights in Sydney, two very different geographic areas (inner Sydney and greater Sydney) with distinct microclimates and building types.[6] The project report incorporates several previously published reports and case studies in addition to two new case studies in Parramatta and Macarthur Heights.[4] The tool has been put to work demonstrating UHI mitigation scenarios of development projects at Sydney's Green Square Town Centre, Parramatta Civic Link, and Macarthur Heights greenfield development.[2] Specifically, the system has been used to demonstrate heat mitigation scenarios in Sydney development projects such as the Green Square Town Centre redevelopment by Landcom and the City of Sydney, and the Parramatta Civic Link redevelopment by Parramatta City Council.[1]

Benefits and Impacts

The tool can be used by people without any technical background by simply clicking to explore development alternatives and view the potential of mitigation options to reduce the impact of urban overheating.[2] Project leader and associate professor at UNSW, Lan Ding, stated that the tool's simple design means you don't need a technical background to take advantage of it.[1] Associate Professor Lan Ding from UNSW's Faculty of Built Environment said the tool will provide scenario analysis to better address the heat and will inform future urban policy, development assessment and planning practices related to mitigate urban overheating, improve outdoor thermal comfort and protect the health of the vulnerable.[2] The system was expected to become a useful point of reference for decision making by governments, developers and planners.[1] The project developed an Urban Heat Island Mitigation Performance Index to support governments in establishing performance targets for their planning control, indicating impact on street level temperature, health and mortality, and precinct level energy consumption.[4][5][6] At Macarthur Heights the difference in roof surface temperature between a light grey and white roof is almost 10°C, with darker roofs at the hottest part of the day reaching up to double the temperature of a white roof.[6] The urban heat mitigation index is part of a suite of UHI mitigation research conducted by CRC LCL and UNSW to provide in-depth insights for the City of Sydney in developing the most effective mitigation strategies for specific urban contexts.[3]

Climate Adaptation Relevance

The initiative addresses urban overheating through scenario analysis that informs future urban policy, development assessment and planning practices to mitigate urban heat island effects, improve outdoor thermal comfort and protect the health of vulnerable populations.[2] The Performance Index supports governments in establishing planning control performance targets that indicate impact on street level temperature, health and mortality, and precinct level energy consumption.[4][5][6]

Business Analysis

The suite of urban heat mitigation research conducted by the CRC LCL and UNSW can provide in-depth insights for the City of Sydney in developing the most effective mitigation strategies for specific urban contexts.[3] The publicly available Urban Heat Island Mitigation Index tool provides accessible high-level guidelines for urban planning decisions across varying climates and development typologies, while the restricted-access Microclimate and Urban Heat Island Mitigation Decision Support Tool serves government and built environment industry users.[3][4][5] The collaborative funding model involved the CRC for Low Carbon Living supporting the research project, with participation from 45 member organizations including the CSIRO, Bluescope, and five Australian universities.[2][5] Landcom's involvement as a member of the project steering committee and provider of test bed projects demonstrates the public-private partnership approach to development and validation.[6] The tool was expected to become a useful point of reference for decision making by governments, developers and planners, having already been applied to major Sydney development projects including Green Square Town Centre, Parramatta Civic Link, and Macarthur Heights.[1][2]

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