Neighborhood microclimates and vulnerability to heat stress

Harlan, Sharon L.; Brazel, Anthony J.; Prashad, Lela; Stefanov, William L.; Larsen, Larissa

doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2006.07.030

Cited by 845 publications

(597 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…Urban climate research completed in the Phoenix metropolitan area demonstrates that air and surface temperatures differ widely across area neighborhoods, with the greatest differences during summertime heat waves (e.g., Chow et al, 2012;Harlan, Brazel, Prashad, Stefanov, & Larsen, 2006;Hartz, Prashad, Hedquist, Golden, & Brazel, 2006;Jenerette, Harlan, Stefanov, & Martin, 2011;Middel et al, 2015). However, we demonstrate that within urban neighborhoods and small playgrounds, these surface temperatures vary significantly-and with implications for human thermal comfort and safety-at spatial scales as fine as 1 cm.…”

Section: Playground Design In Hot Climatesmentioning

confidence: 64%

Hot playgrounds and children's health: A multiscale analysis of surface temperatures in Arizona, USA

Vanos

Middel

McKercher

et al. 2016

Landscape and Urban Planning

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h i g h l i g h t s• A mismatch exists between remotely sensed and in situ urban surface temperatures (T s ).• The hottest T s in a Phoenix area neighborhood were found on playground surfaces.• Children are more vulnerable to the effects of heat stress and high T s than adults.• Shade of any type is found effective in reducing T s and improving thermal safety.• Data must be collected at the touch-scale for spatially accurate high T s mitigation. a r t i c l e i n f o b s t r a c tObjectives: To provide novel quantification and advanced measurements of surface temperatures (T s ) in playgrounds, employing multiple scales of data, and provide insight into hot-hazard mitigation techniques and designs for improved environmental and public health. Methods: We conduct an analysis of T s in two Metro-Phoenix playgrounds at three scales: neighborhood (1 km resolution), microscale (6.8 m resolution), and touch-scale (1 cm resolution). Data were derived from two sources: airborne remote sensing (neighborhood and microscale) and in situ (playground site) infrared T s (touch-scale). Metrics of surface-to-air temperature deltas ( T s-a ) and scale offsets (errors) are introduced. Results: Select in situ T s in direct sunlight are shown to approach or surpass values likely to result in burns to children at touch-scales much finer than T s resolved by airborne remote sensing. Scale offsets based on neighbourhood and microscale ground observations are 3.8 • C and 7.3 • C less than the T s-a at the 1 cm touch-scale, respectively, and 6.6 • C and 10.1 • C lower than touch-scale playground equipment T s , respectively. Hence, the coarser scales underestimate high T s within playgrounds. Both natural (tree) and artificial (shade sail) shade types are associated with significant reductions in T s . Conclusions: A scale mismatch exists based on differing methods of urban T s measurement. The sub-meter touch-scale is the spatial scale at which data must be collected and policies of urban landscape design and health must be executed in order to mitigate high T s in high-contact environments such as playgrounds. Shade implementation is the most promising mitigation technique to reduce child burns, increase park usability, and mitigate urban heating.

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Section: Playground Design In Hot Climatesmentioning

confidence: 64%

Hot playgrounds and children's health: A multiscale analysis of surface temperatures in Arizona, USA

Vanos

Middel

McKercher

et al. 2016

Landscape and Urban Planning

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“…Heat stress, which is a threat to human health and can cause severe illness or death (EPA 2011), is triggered when temperature thresholds of human tolerance are exceeded. Harlan et al (2006) found that low-income, minority neighborhoods in Phoenix were warmer and more sparsely vegetated than higher-income, predominantly white neighborhoods and consequently residents were more exposed to temperatures that cause heat stress. Multivariate modeling of the entire metropolitan area by Jenerette et al (2007) found a positive statistical relationship between neighborhood affluence and more vegetated land cover.…”

Section: Social Dimensions Of Green Spaces (Parks) In Urban Areasmentioning

confidence: 99%

Creating the park cool island in an inner-city neighborhood: heat mitigation strategy for Phoenix, AZ

et al. 2012

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We conducted microclimate simulations in ENVI-Met 3.1 to evaluate the impact of vegetation in lowering temperatures during an extreme heat event in an urban core neighborhood park in Phoenix, Arizona. We predicted air and surface temperatures under two different vegetation regimes: existing conditions representative of Phoenix urban core neighborhoods, and a proposed scenario informed by principles of landscape design and architecture and Urban Heat Island mitigation strategies. We found significant potential air and surface temperature reductions between representative and proposed vegetation scenarios: 1) a Park Cool Island effect that extended to non-vegetated surfaces; 2) a net cooling of air underneath or around canopied vegetation ranging from 0.9°C to 1.9°C during the warmest time of the day; and 3) potential reductions in surface temperatures from 0.8°C to 8.4°C in areas underneath or around vegetation.

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“…Unequal access to health care (health facilities, treatment or prevention) was modeled in 27 studies. The remaining studies modeled inequalities in an environmental exposure (n = 3) [70][71][72] and inequalities in health behavior (n = 2) [30,31]. …”

Section: Description Of Selected Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Simulation models for socioeconomic inequalities in health: A systematic review

Speybroeck

Malderen

Harper

et al. 2013

European Journal of Public Health

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Background:The emergence and evolution of socioeconomic inequalities in health involves multiple factors interacting with each other at different levels. Simulation models are suitable for studying such complex and dynamic systems and have the ability to test the impact of policy interventions in silico. Objective: To explore how simulation models were used in the field of socioeconomic inequalities in health. Methods: An electronic search of studies assessing socioeconomic inequalities in health using a simulation model was conducted. Characteristics of the simulation models were extracted and distinct simulation approaches were identified. As an illustration, a simple agent-based model of the emergence of socioeconomic differences in alcohol abuse was developed. Results: We found 61 studies published between 1989 and 2013. Ten different simulation approaches were identified. The agent-based model illustration showed that multilevel, reciprocal and OPEN ACCESS Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2013, 10 5751indirect effects of social determinants on health can be modeled flexibly. Discussion and Conclusions: Based on the review, we discuss the utility of using simulation models for studying health inequalities, and refer to good modeling practices for developing such models. The review and the simulation model example suggest that the use of simulation models may enhance the understanding and debate about existing and new socioeconomic inequalities of health frameworks.

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Neighborhood microclimates and vulnerability to heat stress

Cited by 845 publications

References 42 publications

Hot playgrounds and children's health: A multiscale analysis of surface temperatures in Arizona, USA

Hot playgrounds and children's health: A multiscale analysis of surface temperatures in Arizona, USA

Creating the park cool island in an inner-city neighborhood: heat mitigation strategy for Phoenix, AZ

Simulation models for socioeconomic inequalities in health: A systematic review

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