Abstract
This study addresses a classic sustainability challenge-the tradeoff between water conservation and temperature amelioration in rapidly growing cities, using Phoenix, Arizona and Portland, Oregon as case studies. An urban energy balance model-LUMPS (Local-Scale Urban Meteorological Parameterization Scheme)-is used to represent the tradeoff between outdoor water use and nighttime cooling during hot, dry summer months. Tradeoffs were characterized under three scenarios of land use change and three climate-change assumptions. Decreasing vegetation density reduced outdoor water use but sacrificed nighttime cooling. Increasing vegetated surfaces accelerated nighttime cooling, but increased outdoor water use by ~20%. Replacing impervious surfaces with buildings achieved similar improvements in nighttime cooling with minimal increases in outdoor water use; it was the most water-efficient cooling strategy. The fact that nighttime cooling rates and outdoor water use were more sensitive to land use scenarios than climate-change simulations suggested that cities can adapt to a warmer climate by manipulating land use.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1030-1054 |
| Number of pages | 25 |
| Journal | Urban Geography |
| Volume | 33 |
| Issue number | 7 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Oct 1 2012 |
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Keywords
- climate change
- sustainability
- temperature amelioration
- urban heat island
- water conservation
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Geography, Planning and Development
- Urban Studies
Cite this
Tradeoffs between water conservation and temperature amelioration in Phoenix and Portland : Implications for urban sustainability. / Gober, Patricia; Middel, Ariane; Brazel, Anthony; Myint, Soe; Chang, Heejun; Duh, Jiunn Der; House-Peters, Lily.
In: Urban Geography, Vol. 33, No. 7, 01.10.2012, p. 1030-1054.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Tradeoffs between water conservation and temperature amelioration in Phoenix and Portland
T2 - Implications for urban sustainability
AU - Gober, Patricia
AU - Middel, Ariane
AU - Brazel, Anthony
AU - Myint, Soe
AU - Chang, Heejun
AU - Duh, Jiunn Der
AU - House-Peters, Lily
PY - 2012/10/1
Y1 - 2012/10/1
N2 - This study addresses a classic sustainability challenge-the tradeoff between water conservation and temperature amelioration in rapidly growing cities, using Phoenix, Arizona and Portland, Oregon as case studies. An urban energy balance model-LUMPS (Local-Scale Urban Meteorological Parameterization Scheme)-is used to represent the tradeoff between outdoor water use and nighttime cooling during hot, dry summer months. Tradeoffs were characterized under three scenarios of land use change and three climate-change assumptions. Decreasing vegetation density reduced outdoor water use but sacrificed nighttime cooling. Increasing vegetated surfaces accelerated nighttime cooling, but increased outdoor water use by ~20%. Replacing impervious surfaces with buildings achieved similar improvements in nighttime cooling with minimal increases in outdoor water use; it was the most water-efficient cooling strategy. The fact that nighttime cooling rates and outdoor water use were more sensitive to land use scenarios than climate-change simulations suggested that cities can adapt to a warmer climate by manipulating land use.
AB - This study addresses a classic sustainability challenge-the tradeoff between water conservation and temperature amelioration in rapidly growing cities, using Phoenix, Arizona and Portland, Oregon as case studies. An urban energy balance model-LUMPS (Local-Scale Urban Meteorological Parameterization Scheme)-is used to represent the tradeoff between outdoor water use and nighttime cooling during hot, dry summer months. Tradeoffs were characterized under three scenarios of land use change and three climate-change assumptions. Decreasing vegetation density reduced outdoor water use but sacrificed nighttime cooling. Increasing vegetated surfaces accelerated nighttime cooling, but increased outdoor water use by ~20%. Replacing impervious surfaces with buildings achieved similar improvements in nighttime cooling with minimal increases in outdoor water use; it was the most water-efficient cooling strategy. The fact that nighttime cooling rates and outdoor water use were more sensitive to land use scenarios than climate-change simulations suggested that cities can adapt to a warmer climate by manipulating land use.
KW - climate change
KW - sustainability
KW - temperature amelioration
KW - urban heat island
KW - water conservation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84866696366&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84866696366&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.2747/0272-3638.33.7.1030
DO - 10.2747/0272-3638.33.7.1030
M3 - Article
VL - 33
SP - 1030
EP - 1054
JO - Urban Geography
JF - Urban Geography
SN - 0272-3638
IS - 7
ER -