
23 August 2018, Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, Basel, Switzerland.
- Junjing Yang, National University of Singapore, Department of Building, Singapore 117566,
- Mat Santamouris, Group of Building Environmental Research, Department of Physics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimioupolis, 15784 Athens, Greece
Heat island is one of the more documented phenomena of climate change. It deals with increased urban temperatures compared to those of the surrounding rural or suburban areas. Heat islands in low and mid-latitude areas increase the cooling load of buildings, thermal discomfort, pollution levels, and heat-related illness. Studies have shown that urban heat islands (UHI) have an effect on pollution and on human health. The World Health Organisation estimates that over 150,000 lives annually are affected by the trends towards temperature and precipitation increase. The impact on the energy consumption of buildings and cooling energy consumption has also been documented, especially the peak electricity demand. High temperatures have been shown to intensify urban pollution problems, especially the increase in ozone concentrations. With the deteriorating outdoor thermal comfort conditions, the urban ecological footprint was affected.
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