Urban Climate Team

The development of society has led to the formation of unique urban climates in urban areas, resulting from increased building density, reduced green spaces, and increased human activity. The urban heat island effect, where urban areas are warmer than the suburbs, is a well-known phenomenon. Urban heat islands contribute significantly to heat-related problems in cities worldwide, and without appropriate mitigation strategies, the risk of heat-related disasters such as increased health hazards is predicted to increase.

The Urban Meteorology Team focuses on researching the urban thermal environment as described above. At team meetings, members provide research consultations, exchange information, and participate in round table discussions. The team employs various research methods, such as field observations, numerical simulations, and statistical analysis, enabling members to approach urban meteorology from different perspectives.

If you are interested in researching urban thermal environments, such as urban heat islands, thermal environments on a city block scale, health impacts of high temperatures in urban areas, or urban precipitation, please join the Urban Meteorology Team and engage in collaborative research.

Research keywords (examples)

• Urban Heat island

• Heat stress mitigation strategies (e.g. green facades, street trees, water spray cooling)

• Local Climate Zone (LCZ)

• Urban precipitation

• Prediction of the number of heat stroke cases

(Written by: Ryota Karube; Edited by: Lingbo Xue)