TUDLab Research Projects Urban Heat
Urban Heat
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Urban heat in tropical Australia presents unique challenges due to the region's consistently high temperatures, humidity and ongoing urbanisation. Cities such as Cairns and Darwin experience year-round warm conditions, intensified by urban heat island effects (when concrete, asphalt, and other built environments absorb and retain heat, making urban areas significantly warmer than surrounding rural regions). In tropical Australia, where natural cooling from breezes and shade is critical, urban heat can exacerbate discomfort and health risks, especially for vulnerable populations like the elderly and children. The combination of heat and humidity also increases the likelihood of heat stress and related illnesses. Climate change further compounds these risks, with rising global temperatures leading to more frequent and intense heatwaves.
TUDLab has been involved in several urban-heat related projects, including the Tropical Sustainable Design Case Studies, an Urban Heat Mitigation Masterplan with Cairns Regional Council and a Smart Cities project that saw the installation of sensors across the Cairns CBD to capture real-time temperature and humidity data.
Funding: JCU Research Infrastructure Block Grant (RIGB)
Research team: Lisa Law, Sophie Barrett, Gisela Jung
Related information:
Safarova, Shokhida, Joost van Hoof, Lisa Law, Kerstin Zander Steven Garnett (2022) ‘Thermal comfort in a tropical savanna climate: The case of home occupants in Darwin, Australia, Energy and buildings Vol 266, DOI: 10.1016/j.enbuild.2022.112074.
Law, Lisa, Safarova, Shokhida, Campbell, Andrew & Halawa, Edward (2021) ‘Design for liveability in tropical Australia’, in R. Wallace, S. Harwood, R. Gerritsen, B. Prideaux, T. Brewer, L. Rosenman and A. Dale (eds) Leading from the North: Rethinking Northern Australia Development, ANU Press, pp.435-49.
Safarova, Shokhida, Edward Halawa, Andrew Campbell, Lisa Law and Joost van Hoof (2018) ‘Pathways for Optimal Provision of Thermal Comfort and Sustainability of Residential Housing in Hot and Humid Tropics: A critical review’, Indoor and Built Environment. 27(8):1022-1040.
Safarova, Shokhida, Stephen Garnett, Edward Halawa, Lisa Law, Joost van Hoof and Jeremy Trombley (2018) ‘Sustainable urban design and energy consumption of households in the hot and humid tropical climate of Darwin’, in Walter Leal Filho, Judy Rogers and Usha Iyer-Raniga (eds) Sustainable development research in the Asia-Pacific region: Education, cities, infrastructure and buildings, Springer: Switzerland, pp.421-35.
Oppermann, Elspeth, Matt Brearley, Lisa Law, James A. Smith, Alan Clough and Kerstin Zander (2017) Heat, Humidity and Health in Australia’s Tropical Monsoon Zone: A critical review of heat stress in a changing climate’, WIREs Climate Change Vol 8(4):1-23.