The Influence of Urban Street Characteristics on Pedestrian Heat Comfort Levels in Philadelphia

Abstract

This article describes relationships between selected physical characteristics of urban streets and pedestrianlevel heat. It also identifies conditions that are particularly vulnerable to the summer heat. Field measurements of ambient temperatures 1 m above the ground were collected over sidewalks, green spaces, and parking lots in high density commercial and residential areas. Panel autoregression (PAR) analysis was then used to assess significant contributors, and prediction equations were developed. These explained over 90% of the total observed variation. The prediction equations were then used with a geographic information system (GIS) to create a cartographic map of hot and cool areas for a particular study site. The results indicate that planting trees can reduce ground ambient temperatures. Moreover, a cartographic map is effective tool for identifying heat vulnerable areas. This study offers a more comprehensive spatial scale analysis and most explicit prediction map than other studies to date.

A Spatially Explicit Approach to the Study of Socio- Demographic Inequality in the Spatial Distribution of Trees across Boston Neighborhoods

“…Trees contribute to population health by: improving in air quality by exchanging and absorbing various gases and airborne pollutants (e.g. particulate matter), which can have implications for respiratory health, including lower rates of asthma (Lovasi et al, 2008; Nowak et al, 2006); providing shade and cooling ambient air temperature by diverting solar radiation and evapotranspiration, which in turn, helps minimize exposure to harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun and reduce heat-related stress and deaths (Georgi and Zafiriadis, 2006; Basu and Samet, 2002; Heisler and Grant, 2000; Brown University, 2010; Oka, 2011); reducing stress and promoting more relaxed physiological states (Kaplan and Kaplan, 2003; Velarde et al, 2007); making open spaces more pleasant, encouraging physical activity (Bedimo-Rung, 2005; Sullivan et al, 2004; Corti et al, 1996); and mitigating the effects of noise (Fang and Ling, 2005; Gidlöf-Gunnarsson, 2007). Additionally, trees are associated with the reduced risk of poor pregnancy outcomes, i.e.…”

Methods to Calculate the Heat Index as an Exposure Metric in Environmental Health Research

“…In environmental health research, simpler heat index algorithms are typical (e.g., Barnett et al 2010; Halonen et al 2011a; Smoyer-Tomic and Rainham 2001; Vaneckova et al 2011; Zanobetti and Schwartz 2005). More complex algorithms are more common in climatology studies (e.g., Fischer and Schär 2010; Oka 2011), although some environmental health studies have used these more complex algorithms as well (e.g., Fletcher et al 2012; Lajinian et al 1997; Tam et al 2008). The NWS uses its own complex algorithm for forecasts and heat warnings (Figure 3) and has created a website that calculates heat index using this algorithm, although only for one heat index value at a time (NWS 2011).…”

Geostatistical exploration of spatial variation of summertime temperatures in the Detroit metropolitan region

“…Harlan et al (2006) found that neighborhoods in Phoenix with high building density, less vegetation and open space experienced increased temperatures. Oka (2011) suggested that human heat comfort levels in Philadelphia were a function of urban street characteristics, surface materials and time of a day. Finally, Houet and Pigeon (2011) used an automated method to classify and map Urban Climate Zones and compare the temperature data measured in the field to satellite-derived surface temperature in these zones.…”