Heat Island:

An urban heat island is an urban area that experiences higher temperatures than its surrounding areas. Structures, such as roads and buildings, absorb and re-emit the sun’s heat more than natural landscapes such as forests and water bodies. An urban area, where roads and buildings are highly concentrated and vegetation is limited, becomes an island of higher temperatures relative to its surrounding areas.

Vegetation cools its surrounding environment reducing urban heat islands. Our research focuses on (1) quantifying the reduction in surface and air temperatures provided by vegetation, and (2) quantifying the costs and benefits associated to various types of green infrsatructure.