Measuring urban cooling

Heat-related deaths in the UK are projected to more than double by the 2050s due to climate change. Extreme outdoor temperatures can also dramatically reduce worker productivity, with associated economic losses in the billions.

Green and blue features in cities such as parks, lakes, ponds and rivers can reduce temperatures and provide shade, reducing these effects. Our models enable planners and others to quantify the cooling benefit of these features, using a range of city-wide and street level approaches.

Key capabilities:

• Modelling cooling benefits from urban greenspace

• Natural capital accounting for urban cooling

CAPABILITY:

Modelling cooling benefits from urban greenspace

We use modelling tools to estimate the amount of cooling provided by urban trees, grass and water, and its economic value. We have approaches that can be applied at city-scale, and can also calculate more local benefits from parks, gardens and water bodies.

CASE STUDY:

Fine scale modelling of cooling potential in Prague

Our scientists worked with the consultancy Ecoten to model the local benefits (air temperature, thermal comfort) at a city-block scale using Computation Fluid Dynamics modelling, looking at Prague in Czechia. This shows that local-scale cooling effects are important but can be influenced by air flows.

The screenshot shows cooler air temperatures (blue colours) due to wooded park located centre, lower-left of image

CAPABILITY:

Natural capital accounting for urban cooling

Assessing our ecosystem services and natural capital allows us to capture the importance of nature’s assets and the benefits that flow from them. This gives the natural environment a place in decision-making and allows more sustainable management choices for the future. UKCEH develops natural capital and ecosystem services modelling tools which allow us to calculate the impacts of urban cooling by vegetation.

CASE STUDY:

Urban cooling accounting methodology

We developed the methodology that underpins the Office for National Statistics (ONS) urban accounts for cooling by vegetation. This estimates the reduction in hot-day temperatures for 11 UK City Regions, due to cooling by urban greenspace. This was worth £243m in avoided productivity losses for 2017.

Click here for ONS urban accounts for 2019