Relation between Urban Volume and Land Surface Temperature: A Comparative Study of Planned and Traditional Cities in Japan

Manjula Ranagalage, Ronald C. Estoque, Hepi H. Handayani, Xinmin Zhang, Takehiro Morimoto, Takeo Tadono and Yuji Murayama
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Manjula Ranagalage: Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan
Ronald C. Estoque: Center for Social and Environmental Systems Research, National Institute for Environmental Studies, 16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8506, Japan
Hepi H. Handayani: Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan
Xinmin Zhang: Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan
Takehiro Morimoto: Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan
Takeo Tadono: Earth Observation Research Center, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, 2-1-1 Sengen, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8505, Japan
Yuji Murayama: Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 7, 1-17

Abstract: The horizontal two-dimensional (2D) urban land use approach is not sufficient to trace rapid changes in urban environment. Hence, a three-dimensional (3D) approach that is different from the traditional geographical method is necessary to understand the mechanism of compound urban diversity. Using remote sensing data captured in 2010/2011 and geospatial tools and techniques, we quantified the urban volume (UV, consisting of urban built volume (UBV) and urban green volume (UGV)) and retrieved and mapped the land surface temperature (LST) of two cities in Japan (Tsukuba, a planned city, and Tsuchiura, a traditional city). We compared these two cities in terms of (1) UBV and UGV and their relationships with mean LST; and (2) the relationship of the UGV–UBV ratio with mean LST. Tsukuba had a total UBV of 74 million m 3 , while Tsuchiura had a total of 89 million m 3 . In terms of UGV, Tsukuba had a total of 52 million m 3 , while Tsuchiura had a total of 29 million m 3 . In both cities, UBV had a positive relationship with mean LST (Tsukuba: R 2 = 0.31, p < 0.001; Tsuchiura: R 2 = 0.42, p < 0.001), and UGV had a negative relationship with mean LST (Tsukuba: R 2 = 0.53, p < 0.001; Tsuchiura: R 2 = 0.19, p < 0.001). Tsukuba also had a higher UGV–UBV ratio of 54.9% in comparison with Tsuchiura, with 28.7%. Overall, the results indicate that mean LST was more intense in the traditional city (Tsuchiura). This could have been due to the difference in urban spatial structure. As a planned city, Tsukuba is still a relatively young city that has more dispersed green spaces and a well-spread (so far) built-up area.

Keywords: LST; urban built volume; urban green volume; Tsuchiura; Tsukuba (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (11)

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