Building a climate-adaptative city: A study on the optimization of thermal vulnerability

Achieving coordination and balance between climate change and social development is essential for the sustainable development of cities. This study aimed to construct a thermal vulnerability assessment framework based on residents' subjectivity and explore the optimal allocation of thermal vulnerability in Foshan City under a climate adaptation scenario aligned with the urban dynamic development model. Results showed that (1) the heat index, sky view factor, and housing price data can reveal residents’ subjectivity in coping with high-temperature pressure; (2) gradually shifting from the compact middle-rise (1.61) to open compact middle-rise (1.53) can effectively reduce thermal vulnerability; (3) the thermal vulnerability of Foshan City was significantly lower (0.92%) under the climate adaptation scenario than under the natural development state. These findings could contribute to enhancing the urban thermal vulnerability assessment framework and provide intuitive visual suggestions for building a climate-adaptive city.