As urbanization progresses at an unprecedented rate, cities around the globe are increasingly facing the phenomenon of urban overheating, which is exacerbated by the compounding effect of local climate change phenomena and the urban heat island (UHI) effect. This critical issue has far-reaching implications for energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and the health and well-being of urban populations. The built environment plays a critical role in this context, with materials, design, and architectural strategies significantly influencing urban microclimate conditions.
The goal of this Research Topic is to advance our understanding of sustainable practices and initiatives focused on decarbonization, within the context of mitigating urban overheating and UHI. We aim to highlight the path towards lower carbon and more comfortable cities, exploring both established and innovative solutions, from building materials and green infrastructures to urban architecture and planning.
This collection will explore a range of themes associated with urban overheating and the built environment. This includes but is not limited to:
• Material science: Innovative and sustainable materials for building construction that minimize heat gain and optimize thermal comfort.
• Green infrastructure: The role of nature-based solutions, e.g., green roofs, walls, and other forms of urban greenery in moderating urban heat, sequestering carbon, and promoting biodiversity.
• Architectural design: Architectural designs and strategies that leverage natural ventilation, shading, albedo effects, and other passive cooling techniques.
• Urban planning: Planning approaches and policies that promote cool cities, considering factors such as building architecture, street geometry, open spaces, and water/green features.
• Interdisciplinary perspectives: Cross-disciplinary studies that bridge the gap between material science, architecture, and urban planning, while considering the social, economic, and health implications of urban overheating. .
• Case studies: Empirical studies that share experiences and lessons from specific projects or cities that have implemented strategies to mitigate urban overheating.
This Research Topic invites contributions from researchers, practitioners, and policymakers in the fields of material science, architecture, urban planning, environmental engineering, building physics, and related disciplines. We encourage submissions that offer an integrated perspective, emphasizing the intricate interplay between the built environment, decarbonization efforts, and urban comfort.
Keywords:
urban overheating, local climate change, Cooler Cities, urban heat island, decarbonization
Important Note:
All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
As urbanization progresses at an unprecedented rate, cities around the globe are increasingly facing the phenomenon of urban overheating, which is exacerbated by the compounding effect of local climate change phenomena and the urban heat island (UHI) effect. This critical issue has far-reaching implications for energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and the health and well-being of urban populations. The built environment plays a critical role in this context, with materials, design, and architectural strategies significantly influencing urban microclimate conditions.
The goal of this Research Topic is to advance our understanding of sustainable practices and initiatives focused on decarbonization, within the context of mitigating urban overheating and UHI. We aim to highlight the path towards lower carbon and more comfortable cities, exploring both established and innovative solutions, from building materials and green infrastructures to urban architecture and planning.
This collection will explore a range of themes associated with urban overheating and the built environment. This includes but is not limited to:
• Material science: Innovative and sustainable materials for building construction that minimize heat gain and optimize thermal comfort.
• Green infrastructure: The role of nature-based solutions, e.g., green roofs, walls, and other forms of urban greenery in moderating urban heat, sequestering carbon, and promoting biodiversity.
• Architectural design: Architectural designs and strategies that leverage natural ventilation, shading, albedo effects, and other passive cooling techniques.
• Urban planning: Planning approaches and policies that promote cool cities, considering factors such as building architecture, street geometry, open spaces, and water/green features.
• Interdisciplinary perspectives: Cross-disciplinary studies that bridge the gap between material science, architecture, and urban planning, while considering the social, economic, and health implications of urban overheating. .
• Case studies: Empirical studies that share experiences and lessons from specific projects or cities that have implemented strategies to mitigate urban overheating.
This Research Topic invites contributions from researchers, practitioners, and policymakers in the fields of material science, architecture, urban planning, environmental engineering, building physics, and related disciplines. We encourage submissions that offer an integrated perspective, emphasizing the intricate interplay between the built environment, decarbonization efforts, and urban comfort.
Keywords:
urban overheating, local climate change, Cooler Cities, urban heat island, decarbonization
Important Note:
All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.