Landscape and Urban Design for improved urban microclimate

In this paper, we discuss the important role of landscape architecture and urban design in implementing urban heat mitigation strategies. We discuss how these professions relate to and are considered in studies focused on urban climate and outdoor thermal comfort. Strategies available through landscape architecture and urban design are closely associated with an improved urban thermal environment (Chu et al, 2024). Street orientation, building height and density, green cover ratio, building materials, and the shape and size of water bodies can mitigate urban heat by adjusting urban microclimate and reducing energy use (Abd Elraouf et al, 2022; Liu et al, 2022; Xu et al, 2019). In the context of climate change, it is therefore essential to properly design and plan the built environment for mitigating urban heat, and it is increasingly important to ensure effective communication between the science community and built environment professionals.