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Assesssing the Role of Green Infrastructure and Local Climate Zones in Mitigating Urban Heat : A Case Study of Norrköping and Linköping, Sweden

This thesis investigates the impact of Green Infrastructure (GI) and Local Climate Zones (LCZs) on air temperature at 2 meters above the ground (T2m) in Norrköping and Linköping, Sweden, with a focus on urban planning and climate resilience strategies. Two concepts of LCZ and the newly developed “3-30-300” GI rule are applied. Two concepts are evaluated under summer 2018 strong heatwave conditions and project future scenarios with a 3°C rise in global temperatures during extreme heatwaves. The results show an increase in mean temperature of about 2.9 °C and an extended duration of heatwaves in 17 days from the summer of 2018 to the possible future. Findings indicate that urban areas adhering to 30% tree canopy coverage and within 300 meters or less of a park show a 0.7°C reduction in median T2m during heatwaves. LCZs with more natural environments and less paved surfaces, such as open low-rise, sparsely built, and open midrise, exhibit lower air temperatures, while densely built areas (compact high-rise) show higher temperatures at night, and wide-open paved areas (large low-rise, heavy industry) show higher temperatures during days. The study underscores the necessity of increasing GI coverage and parks in both cities, highlighting the challenges of equitable GI distribution. Recommendations for future research include selecting cooling-effective indigenous tree species and expanding the scope to additional climate variables. This work provides crucial insights for urban areas in Nordic countries and similar climates, contributing to sustainable urban planning and enhanced climate resilience.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:liu-205549
Date January 2024
CreatorsNajafali Hamedani, Elaheh
PublisherLinköpings universitet, Institutionen för tema
Source SetsDiVA Archive at Upsalla University
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeStudent thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text
Formatapplication/pdf
Rightsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

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