Investigating the Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Campus Surface Heat Island with High-Resolution Thermal Infrared Imaging

Wei Dong, Jinxiu Wu (), Yanxiang Yang and Shuyu Shen
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Wei Dong: School of Architecture, Southeast University, No. 2 Sipailou Road, Nanjing 210096, China
Jinxiu Wu: School of Architecture, Southeast University, No. 2 Sipailou Road, Nanjing 210096, China
Yanxiang Yang: School of Architecture, Southeast University, No. 2 Sipailou Road, Nanjing 210096, China
Shuyu Shen: School of Architecture, Southeast University, No. 2 Sipailou Road, Nanjing 210096, China

Land, 2025, vol. 14, issue 6, 1-29

Abstract: In the context of climate change, surface urban heat islands (SUHIs) have become critical factors affecting the quality of the urban built environment. However, low-precision satellite thermal infrared remote sensing is suitable for urban scales but is insufficient to reveal the spatiotemporal distribution roles of surface heat islands at the neighborhood scale. This research takes the Sipailou Campus of Southeast University as an example and employs UAV thermal infrared imaging to acquire high-precision surface temperature data. It then systematically investigates the relationship and association mechanism between the surface urban heat island intensity (SUHII) and campus 2D/3D landscape configuration. The results indicate that the campus has a cooling effect during the daytime, with an average SUHII of −0.90 °C. It demonstrates the SUHII characteristics for campus land use types are as follows: SUHII_BD > SUHII_IS > SUHII_GS > SUHII_WB. Furthermore, the campus landscape has a significant hierarchical driving effect on SUHII, with the configuration of campus buildings and the impervious surface driving the strong heat island (SHI) and the 3D configuration and structure of greenspace dominantly strengthening the strong cool island (SCI). The overall design strategy of “two-dimensional priority, three-dimensional optimization” enables us to effectively mitigate the campus SUHII. This study reveals the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of campus SUHII and the key influencing factors, and it also broadens the application of UAV thermal infrared imaging technology in the meso–micro-scale urban heat island assessment, providing suggestions for constructing a climate-adaptive urban landscape.

Keywords: UAV-based thermal infrared imaging; university campus; 2D/3D landscape; neighborhood scale (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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