Integrated Approaches to Urban Heat Mitigation: Utility Infrastructure, Building Efficiency, and Their Socioeconomic Impacts

Abstract

Urban areas worldwide face increasing challenges from rising temperatures, with the urban heat island effect amplifying the impact of climate change in urban areas. The Urban Heat Index (UHI) is the temperature difference between urban and rural environments caused by anthropogenic modifications to land surfaces and the built environment. This phenomenon impacts residents, businesses, and industries, and disproportionately affects vulnerable populations while also placing significant strain on utility infrastructure, particularly during extreme heat events. Central to the UHI effect is the albedo, or solar reflectance, of urban surfaces. While natural landscapes typically reflect 20–30 percent of solar radiation, urban materials, like asphalt and dark roofing, often reflect less than 10 percent, instead predominantly absorbing and retaining heat.¹ This decreased albedo, combined with reduced vegetation and building density, creates a feedback loop of heat absorption and retention. As cities grapple with these challenges, utilities emerge as one of the key stakeholders in energy management for effective heat mitigation strategies. Though the causes of the urban heat island effect are complex and often derived from municipal government and urban planning decisions, utilities are crucial partners in the process of built environment development and adaptation.