S6 Human-environment interactions - Study 3: Climate change - Urban heat - A local study

Human-environment interactions

Study 3: Climate change - Urban heat - A local study

Commencing Term 3, 2024.

Cities tend to be hotter than surrounding bushland and rural areas. This is known as the urban heat island effect. It is the result of complex interactions between the built environment and natural processes. Urban heat islands are increasing the effects of climate change, making higher temperatures and extreme hot weather events more severe and difficult to manage, placing people and the environment at risk. 

This program will investigate urban heat in your school and/or your local area. Students will use methodologies and equipment designed by RMIT University Sustainable Building Innovation laboratory and UNSW Sydney Faculty of Built Environment High Performance Architecture to measure microclimate data. 

Students will measure ambiant air temperature, mean radiant temperature, surface temperatures, wind speed and relative humidity. Students will use an online tool to calculate outdoor thermal comfort, an indicator of a person's thermal stress.

The data collected can be used to support your school or local council in mitigating the impacts of urban heat. 

Supporting resource

Study 3: Climate change - Urban heat - Google site

(Please note this Google site references the Cool Places Cool Spaces citizen science project developed with the City of Ryde local council. This can be disregarded for a local study.)

Location

• Your school and/or local area