Addressing Urban Heat through Green Building Strategies: A Comprehensive Literature Review

Nasrin Rastinifard¹ and Mina Ramezani²*
¹Water Resources Management and Infrastructure, Royal Agricultural University, UK
²Architecture Department, Palermo University, Italy
*Corresponding Author: Mina Ramezani, PhD Candidate in Urban, Territorial and Landscape Planning, Department of Architecture, Palermo University, Italy.

Published: January 11, 2025

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Abstract  

The combined effects of local warming brought on by urbanisation and global climate change are making urban heat a growing problem for many cities. Urban heat-related issues must be addressed immediately because these phenomena have substantial negative effects on the environment, the economy, society, and human health. Although buildings play a significant role in urban heat, they also offer opportunities for mitigation through the decarbonisation of the built environment. The building industry has acknowledged green buildings (GBs) as an innovative philosophy and practice. GBs have been suggested as a way to reduce the effects of urban heat islands and other heat-related issues. The purpose of this study is find the most important factors of green building which can be impactful for reducing UHI. Using an extensive literature review methodology, the study identified eighteen important references following a thorough screening of more than 1400 preliminary studies. Finally 10 papers have been selected. These sources concentrate on the ways that green buildings mitigate urban heat through different approaches, such as cutting carbon emissions, lessening the effects of artificial landscapes, and enhancing energy efficiency. Global warming mitigation, local warming mitigation, and urban heat mitigation are the three categories into which the framework created in this review divides GB's responses to urban heat challenges. Further analysis of these responses is conducted with respect to the following areas: building design, energy and water efficiency, site planning, outdoor environments, transportation, material selection, indoor environmental quality, operation management, and building life cycle, including construction and maintenance. The findings indicate that GBs significantly contribute to reducing the urban heat problem by lowering carbon emissions, minimising artificial landscapes, and promoting energy-efficient designs.  This review provides a holistic analysis of the role of GBs in urban heat mitigation, aiming to inform future research and practical implementations in urban planning and green building development.

Keywords: Urban heat island; green building; mitigation strategies; green infrastructure; climate change

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