A research team from Huazhong Agricultural University (HZAU) has made significant progress in mitigating canopy urban heat island intensity (CUHII) at the neighborhood scale. Led by Wu Changguang, associate professor at the College of Horticulture & Forestry Sciences, the team recently published a study in Building and Environment titled Ameliorating canopy urban heat island in block level: A holistic investigation into the radius, form, and typologies. The findings provide new scientific insights to support targeted, site-specific cooling strategies for urban areas.
The study examined how landscape composition and spatial configuration at different block-level radii – from 50 to 250 meters – affect CUHII during summer in Wuhan, Hubei province. Using high-resolution urban meteorological and built environment data, the researchers assessed the combined effects of green vegetation, building clusters, and impervious surfaces, identifying key spatial variables and their synergistic impact on local heat conditions.

Comprehensive impact of urban landscape elements and spatial heterogeneity on CUHII. [Photo/news.hzau.edu.cn]
The results revealed a threshold effect of spatial form on CUHII, with the 200-m radius delivering the highest explanatory power. The most influential factors were green space ratio and average building height, followed by floor area ratio and vegetation shape complexity. Based on these factors, the team developed six building-vegetation combination typologies, finding temperature differences of up to 1.9 C among them.
The study proposes a framework integrating optimal radius, spatial diagnostics, and typology management to guide differentiated cooling strategies. This aids in efficiently identifying heat-prone areas and implementing tailored mitigation measures.