How to Plan Urban Parks and the Surrounding Buildings to Maximize the Cooling Effect: A Case Study in Xi’an, China

Tianji Wu, Xuhui Wang (), Le Xuan, Zhaoyang Yan, Chao Wang, Chunlei Du, Yutong Su, Jingya Duan and Kanhua Yu
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Tianji Wu: College of Landscape Architecture and Arts, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, China
Xuhui Wang: College of Landscape Architecture and Arts, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, China
Le Xuan: College of Landscape Architecture and Arts, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, China
Zhaoyang Yan: College of Landscape Architecture and Arts, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, China
Chao Wang: Xi’an High-Tech Zone Natural Resources and Planning Bureau, Xi’an 710117, China
Chunlei Du: School of Human Settlements and Civil Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
Yutong Su: College of Landscape Architecture and Arts, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, China
Jingya Duan: College of Landscape Architecture and Arts, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, China
Kanhua Yu: School of Architecture, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710055, China

Land, 2024, vol. 13, issue 8, 1-16

Abstract: Urban areas with parks tend to have the best outdoor thermal comfort in regions with high urban heat island effects during summer. This study analyzed the synergistic cooling effects of 94 urban parks and the adjacent built-up areas in six districts of Xi’an City using four cooling indicators: park cooling intensity (PCI), park cooling area (PCA), park cooling effect (PCE), and park cooling gradient (PCG). The results showed that 84 out of 94 parks exhibited significant cooling effects, with an average PCI of 1.98 °C, PCA of 51.7 ha, PCE of 6.6, and PCG of 8.2 °C/km. Correlation analyses indicated that the intrinsic park attributes, external buffer zone building height, and building density were the main factors affecting the cooling effect. The park landscape configuration, building height, and density significantly influenced the PCI and PCG, while the park shape and size were crucial for the PCA (positive) and PCE (negative). The optimal park areas for improving the thermal environment were identified as 26 ha (cooling area focus, building density <13%) and 15 ha (cooling intensity focus, building height <21 m, density >32%). This study provides theoretical guidance for planning urban parks and the surrounding areas based on cooling effects, offering insights for future climate resilience planning.

Keywords: urban park; cooling effect; urban form; land surface temperature; urban heat island; urban plan (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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