A hot night in the big city

Strategies to mitigate the urban heat island (UHI) i.e., when the urban region's temperatures exceed a rural setting's temperature, are discussed. UHI can adversely impact the sustainability of regions by increasing the dependence on mechanical cooling. The strategies must be applied in more localized settings as it is the summation of the localized UHI pockets that contribute to the larger regional UHI. Trees and buildings that provide shade during the day can serve to trap the energy and modify air flow. A systems approach could include the use of a porous pavement to reduce surface temperatures. The use of photovoltaic canopies helps in reducing surface temperatures of pavement throughout the diurnal cycle and reduced the required parking lot size.