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Located on floodplains of the Potomac River in Old Town Alexandria, Ford's Landing boasts a rich history, once known as the Ford Plant. Evolving from its industrial past, it underwent a transformative development in 1996, emerging as the rowhouse neighborhood that we now know today. Developed for a wealthy living in Old Town Alexandria, the neighborhood Ford's Landing now confronts geographical challenges exacerbated by the evolving impacts of Climate Change. In response to these challenges, 'Resilient Ford's Landing' is a project that focuses on three pivotal topics: stormwater management, urban heat island mitigation, and energy production. It strives to redefine Ford's Landing as a sustainable and resilient place by retrofitting, innovating, and tailoring solutions to the site as well as improving the quality of life for its residents while being a better, model neighbor against the adverse effects of a changing climate. / Master of Science / Ford Landing is a wealthy neighborhood of rowhouses in Old Town Alexandria that was developed in 1996. The site was originally known as the Ford Plant. Due to its location near the waterfront, the neighborhood is facing problems relating to flood, water, and climate change issues. 'Resilient Ford's Landing' is a project that focuses on tackling these challenges. It is about managing stormwater that runs through the streets of the neighborhood, creating better shade and infrastructure to reduce the presence of heat, and using renewable energy to become energy efficient. With these methods, the project's intention is to redefine Ford's Landing as a sustainable and resilient neighbor.

Expanding urbanization, characterized by increased impervious surfaces and decreased tree canopy, is contributing to rising urban temperatures. This trend has implications for energy consumption, which strategically placed trees can modify by casting shade upon building and ground surfaces. However, urban densification, a paradigm of modern residential land development, often constrains space for planting shade trees. Thus, the overall objective of this dissertation was to investigate shade tree planting strategies and their effects on residential cooling and heating energy conservation for dense urban neighborhoods in U.S. cities on a latitudinal gradient. The first study used a computer program called Shadow Pattern Simulator to examine the effects of tree form, tree placement, and sunlight exposure on shade provision for a residential structure model. Simulation results affirmed the conventional strategy in northern latitudes that recommends planting shade trees on the east or west aspect for maximizing beneficial shade while avoiding tree plantings on the south aspect to minimize any heating penalty of undesirable shade. However, in southern latitudes, planting trees on southerly aspect should not be discounted because the shorter heating season lessens the detrimental heating penalty while providing beneficial season shade. The second study, using an energy simulation program called EnergyPlus, evaluated the effect of a single shade tree upon the energy consumption of the structure model. This study affirmed that energy conservation benefits are influenced by the quantity as well as the quality of tree shade upon building surfaces. In addition, interactions between sun angle, tree form, and tree placement were observed to influence tree shade effects on annual energy consumption. In the third study, based on the first two studies, an alternative tree placement strategy, which reconfigured tree placement around the residential structure, was developed to maximize cooling and heating energy savings while attenuating space conflicts. The alternative strategy was found to be as effective as the conventional strategy while being more responsive to parcel or building orientations in dense urban neighborhoods. Overall, understanding the fundamental interactions between tree form, tree placement, and geographic settings is critical for improving energy conservation benefits of shade trees in dense urban settings. / Ph. D.

Over the last decade, rapidly growing world energy consumption is leading to supply difficulties, exhaustion of fossil energy resources, and global environmental deterioration. More than one-third of energy expenditure is attributable to buildings. Urbanization is intensifying these trends with tighter spatial interrelationships among buildings. This is escalating building energy consumption due to the mutual impact of buildings on each other and, as a result, exacerbating Urban Heat Island (UHI) effects. I sought solutions to this significant engineering issue from nature, and discovered a similar heat island effect in flowers, namely the micro-greenhouse effect. However, a special cooling effect has been observed in a peculiar temperate flower, Galanthus nivalis, which generates cooler intrafloral temperatures. In this research, I studied the special retro-reflectance of the flower petals, which has been suggested as a possible contributor to this cooling effect, and implemented a bio-inspired retro-reflective pattern for building envelopes. I conducted cross-regional energy simulation of building networks in a dynamic simulation environment in order to examine its thermal-energy impact. I found that building surface temperatures dropped considerably when neighboring buildings were retrofitted with my bio-inspired retro-reflective facade. I concluded that my bio-inspired retro-reflective pattern for building envelopes; (1) lessens the reflected heat of solar radiation in spatially-proximal buildings leading to reduced UHI, and (2) reduces the energy required for cooling and, therefore, energy consumption. The research has further implications and contributions on building design, urban planning, development of retro-reflective technology, and environmental conservation. / Master of Science

Climate change will increase the intensity and duration of heat waves in Sweden. Vulnerable communities are especially affected by the effects of heat waves and since children rely on adults to provide comfort, children are particularly affected by heat wave impacts. The aim of this study was to characterize how preschool children and preschool activities were affected by heat exposure based on the perspectives of preschool educators. Six group interviews were conducted with twelve preschool educators in Linköping and Norrköping and the data was analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. The results indicate that the lack of shaded areas in the preschool yards causes considerable negative impacts on the health of preschool children and obstructs suitable preschool activities. Future research should explore the possibilities of connecting urban planners with preschool educators in the planning phase of preschools in order to utilize their experiences on how to mitigate the effects of heat waves on preschools. / BRIGHT

As a result of climate change and urbanization, rising temperatures are causing increasing concern about extreme heat in cities worldwide. Urban extreme heat like other climate-related phenomena is a complex problem that requires expertise from a range of disciplines and multi-faceted solutions. Therefore, this study aims to develop a comprehensive understanding of urban heat issue by taking a multi-level approach that integrates science, technology, and policy. Throughout the three main papers of this dissertation, a variety of quantitative and qualitative methods, such as microclimate modeling, machine learning, statistical analysis, and policy content analysis, are used to analyze urban heat from different perspectives. The first paper of this dissertation focuses on the street canyon scale, aiming to identify the physical and vegetation parameters that have the greatest impact on changing thermal conditions in urban environments and to understand how these parameters interact with each other. Moving towards identifying applicable heat-related data and measurement techniques, the second paper assesses whether lower-resolution temperature data and novel sources of vulnerability indicators can effectively explain intra-urban heat variations. Lastly, the third paper of this dissertation reviews heat-related plans and policies at the Planning Districts level in Virginia, providing insights into how extreme heat is framed and addressed at the regional and local levels. This analysis is particularly important for states such as Virginia, which historically have not experienced multiple days of extreme heat during summers, as is common in southern and southwestern states of the United States. The results of this study provide insights into the contributing and mitigating factors associated with extreme heat exposure, novel heat-related data and measurement techniques, and the types of analysis and information that should be included in local climate-related plans to better address extreme heat. This dissertation explores new avenues for measuring, understanding, and planning extreme heat in cities, thereby contributing to the advancement of knowledge in this field. / Doctor of Philosophy / Due to climate change and fast city growth, temperatures are rising, and extreme heat is becoming a big worry in cities worldwide. Urban extreme heat is a challenging problem that needs expertise from different majors and diverse solutions. This dissertation aims to understand urban heat better by integrating science, technology, and policy. The three main research papers of this dissertation use various methods like modeling, statistics, and policy analysis to study urban heat from different angles. The first paper focuses on city streets and how certain physical features and vegetation affect citizens' thermal comfort. The second paper explores new ways to measure heat in urban areas, including using new sources of data and the application of lower-resolution data. Finally, the third paper reviews heat-related plans and policies in Virginia, helping us understand how extreme heat is addressed in areas that might not be accustomed to high temperatures. This dissertation's findings provide useful insights into why the severity of extreme heat is not the same in different parts of cities, present new ways to measure this difference and find solutions to lessen the negative impacts of exposure to heat. It also shows what information needs to be included in plans and policies to better deal with extreme hot weather at the local level such as in towns and cities. By exploring new ways to understand and handle extreme heat in cities, this research helps make progress in this important field. The goal of this research is to help cities prepare for and cope with urban extreme heat, keeping people safe and creating sustainable cities for the future.

While satellite-based remote sensing techniques are often used for studying and visualizing the urban heat island effect, they are limited in terms of resolution, view bias, and revisit times. In comparison, modern UAVs equipped with infrared sensors allow very fine-scale (cm) data to be collected over smaller areas and can provide the means for a full 3D thermal reconstruction over limited spatial extents. Irrespective of the data collection method, the thermal properties of cities are typically visually represented using color, although the choice of colormap varies widely. Previous cartographic research has demonstrated that colormap and other cartographic choices affect people's understanding. This research study examines the difference in map reading performance between satellite and drone-sourced thermal pseudo-color images for three map reading tasks, the impact of color map selection on map reading, and the potential benefits of adding shading to thermal maps using high-resolution digital surface models for improved interaction. Participants expressed a preference for the newly designed rainbow-style color map "turbo" and the FLIR "ironbow" colormap. However, user preferences were not strongly related to map reading performance, and differences were partly explained by the extra information afforded by multi-hue and shading-enhanced images. / Master of Science / While satellite-based remote sensing techniques are often used for studying and visualizing the urban heat island effect, they are limited in terms of resolution, view bias, and revisit times. In comparison, modern drones or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) equipped with infrared sensors allow very fine-scale (cm) data to be collected over smaller areas and can provide the means for a full 3D thermal reconstruction over a small area. Irrespective of the data collection method, the thermal properties of cities are typically visually represented using color, although the choice of colormap varies widely. Previous cartographic research has demonstrated that colormap and other cartographic choices affect people's understanding. This research study examines the difference in map reading performance between satellite and drone-sourced thermal pseudo-color images for three map reading tasks, the impact of color map selection on map reading, and the potential benefits of adding hillshade augmentation to thermal maps using high-resolution digital surface models for improved interaction. Participants expressed a preference for the newly designed rainbow-style color map "turbo" and the FLIR "ironbow" colormap. However, user preferences were not strongly related to map reading performance, and differences were partly explained by the extra information afforded by multi-hue and shading-enhanced images.

With the urbanization of Swedish cities, densification has emerged as a sustainable ideal in urban planning. As new buildings and hard surfaces replace more green spaces and open areas, the Earth´s climate is becoming warmer, and the consequences of rising temperatures are becoming more tangible. In densely built environments, the warm climate is further exacerbated due to the urban heat island effect, which means that the temperature difference between urban and rural areas can reach several degrees. This affects the local climate and has serious consequences for the people who live and stay in the cities, including increased heat stress and health risks. Through climate-conscious planning, where heat-reducing measures are implemented, the heat island effect can be mitigated and thereby creating favorable urban climates. This work focuses on the impact of the densification ideal on the heat island effect and human living environments. In the literature review, heat islands and their consequences are discussed to emphasize the importance of planning for rising temperatures and to identify temperature-reducing measures. The study examines a typical densification project to understand how heat-reducing measures can be integrated into existing urban areas and suggest actions that should be introduced early in the planning process. The measures have been proposed using two methods; a qualitative document study and a site analysis. The site analysis conducted in Ebbepark, Linköping aimed to create an understanding of aspects in the built environment. Through the site analysis and document study, proposals for measures were developed, which then formed the basis for the design proposal in Ebbepark. The results showed that the integration of heat-reducing measures in densely built areas significantly contributes to the improvement of people´s living environments by counteracting the heat island effect and creating a more pleasant microclimate. Implementation of vegetation, high-reflective materials, and water features results in significant temperature reductions. To effectively counteract the heat island effect, these measures can be integrated into urban planning, both in new and existing densification areas. Heat-reducing measures should also be incorporated into municipalities’ overall planning documents to promote the development of sustainable and resilient urban environments. / I takt med urbaniseringen av Sveriges städer har förtätning växt fram som ett hållbart ideal i den fysiska planeringen. Under tiden som ny bebyggelse och hårdgjorda ytor ersätter allt fler grönområden och friytor blir jordens klimat allt varmare och de stigande temperaturernas konsekvenser mer påtagliga. I den tätbebyggda miljön förstärks det varma klimatet ytterligare med anledning av den urbana värmeöeffekten, som innebär att skillnaden i temperatur mellan stad och landsbygd kan nå flera grader. Detta påverkar det lokala klimatet och får allvarliga konsekvenser för de människor som bor och vistas i städerna, däribland ökad värmestress och hälsorisker. Genom en klimatmedveten planering där värmereducerande åtgärder implementeras kan värmeöeffekten mildras och därmed goda stadsklimat skapas. Arbetet handlar om förtätningsidealets påverkan på värmeöeffekten och människans livsmiljö. I kunskapsöversikten behandlas värmeöar och dess konsekvenser för att betona vikten av att planera för stigande temperaturer samt för att kunna identifiera temperaturreducerande åtgärder. Arbetet undersöker ett typiskt förtätningsprojekt för att förstå hur värmereducerande åtgärder kan integreras i befintliga områden och föreslår åtgärder som bör införas tidigt i planeringsprocessen. Åtgärderna har föreslagits med hjälp av två metoder; en kvalitativ dokumentstudie och en platsanalys. Platsanalysen som genomförts i Ebbepark, Linköping syftade till att skapa förståelse för aspekter i den byggda miljön. Genom platsanalysen och dokumentstudien kunde förslag på åtgärder tas fram, vilka sedan lade grund för gestaltningsförslaget i Ebbepark.  Arbetets resultat visade att integreringen av värmereducerande åtgärder i tätbebyggda områden avsevärt bidrar till förbättringen av människors livsmiljö genom att motverka värmeöeffekten och skapa ett mer behagligt mikroklimat. Implementering av vegetation, högreflekterande material och vatteninslag resulterar i betydande temperaturminskningar. För att effektivt motverka värmeöeffekten kan dessa åtgärder integreras i den fysiska planeringen, både i nya och befintliga förtätningsområden. Värmereducerande åtgärder bör också införlivas i kommuners övergripande planeringsdokument för att främja utvecklingen av hållbara och motståndskraftiga urbana miljöer.