Providing support for urban planning through investigating the cooling influence of park in Northern China: A case study of Xi'an

Abstract

Urban parks are widely acknowledged for their role in mitigating the urban heat island effect and primarily function as spaces for relaxation and recreation for nearby residents. This study aims to guide land use planning around parks by evaluating the coupling mechanism between spatial morphology, wind patterns, distance to the park boundary (DTPB) and Park cooling island (PCI) intensity. PCI intensity was investigated through field measurements and numerical simulations in Xi'an. Multiple regression and sensitivity analyses were conducted to identify factors influencing the park's cooling effect, with human thermal comfort assessed using Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET). The main results indicate that the most pronounced PCI intensity occurs at night, reaching 0.83 °C. Additionally, the average degree of linear correlation between temperature and DTPB in the downwind area (R² = 0.82) is higher than that in the upwind area (R² = 0.33). In the downwind area, DTPB is the primary factor affecting PCI, surpassing wind speed and sky view factor (SVF), whereas SVF is the crucial element in reducing PCI intensity in the upwind area. This paper supplements the fundamental theoretical understanding of how factors influence the PCI effect in Northwest China, thereby supporting urban land use planning around urban parks.