Heat Islands Understanding and Mitigating Heat in Urban Areas

Heat islands are urban and suburban areas that are significantly warmer than their surroundings. Traditional, highly absorptive construction materials and a lack of effective landscaping are their main causes. Heat island problems, in terms of increased energy consumption, reduced air quality and effects on human health and mortality, are becoming more pressing as cities continue to grow and sprawl. This comprehensive book brings together the latest information about heat islands and their mitigation. The book describes how heat islands are formed, what problems they cause, which technologies mitigate heat island effects and what policies and actions can be taken to cool communities. Internationally renowned expert Lisa Gartland offers a comprehensive source of information for turning heat islands into cool communities. The author includes sections on cool roofing and cool paving, explains their benefits in detail and provides practical guidelines for their selection and installation. The book also reviews how and why to incorporate trees and vegetation around buildings, in parking lots and on green roofs.

What is a Heat Island? * Causes of the Heat Island * Measuring and Modelling Heat Islands * From Heat Islands to Cool Communities * All About Cool Roofing * All About Cool Paving * Cooling with Trees and Vegetation * Community Benefits from Heat Island Mitigation * Cool Community Action Plan * Index

Dr Lisa Gartland is the sole proprietor of PositivEnergy, a consulting firm specializing in heat island mitigation, and former director of the Sacramento Cool Community Program, whose aim was to reduce Sacramento's heat island.