From Bare Soil to Green Infrastructure: Micrometeorological Benefits from the Restoration of a Small Urban Park in a Mediterranean City

Nikolaos D. Proutsos (), Alexandra D. Solomou and Stefanos P. Stefanidis
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Nikolaos D. Proutsos: Institute of Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems, Hellenic Agricultural Organization-DIMITRA, 11528 Athens, Greece
Alexandra D. Solomou: Institute of Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems, Hellenic Agricultural Organization-DIMITRA, 11528 Athens, Greece
Stefanos P. Stefanidis: Forest Research Institute, Hellenic Agricultural Organization-DIMITRA, 57006 Thessaloniki, Greece

Land, 2025, vol. 14, issue 8, 1-23

Abstract: Urban green spaces (UGSs) are a vital component of urban landscapes nowadays, with an impact on energy distribution in cities and local climate regulation. This study aims to quantify the thermal and optical behavior of various materials in a small-scale Mediterranean UGS and provide insights into the use of green and artificial materials in urban parks. The analysis also includes the changes in the UGS’s optical and thermal properties following its restoration in 2024. The thermal comfort in the UGS is assessed for the 2020–2024 period, along with the reflectivity and surface temperatures of the different materials pre- (in 2022) and post-restoration (in 2024), using in situ measurements. The results show notable seasonal and interannual variability in the thermal comfort of the site. The impact of vegetation on the UGS was critical. The vegetation-covered surfaces exhibited surface temperatures close to ambient air temperature, highlighting their effective thermal regulation. During summer mornings, the average temperatures of the vegetation-covered surfaces were around 30.5 °C, lower compared to artificial or non-green materials, like asphalt, concrete, gravel, and dry bare soil, which were above 42 °C. The vegetation albedo was relatively lower (around 0.19), while artificial covers showed a greater reflectance (up to 0.35), thus boosting the heat retention. These results highlight the essential importance of green infrastructure incorporation to boost the thermal dynamics of urban open spaces and mitigate climate change effects.

Keywords: urban heat island; urban green spaces; green infrastructure; surface temperatures; optical properties; albedo; Mediterranean climate; urban parks; vegetation cooling effect (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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