Optimizing seasonal performance of advanced heat mitigation solutions for city-scale thermal management in Greater Kuala Lumpur
Tropical cities like Kuala Lumpur are increasingly vulnerable to urban heat due to rapid urbanization, resulting in greater thermal discomfort, higher energy consumption, and environmental degradation. This study is among the first to comprehensively evaluate the seasonal performance of advanced urb...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-12-01
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| Series: | City and Environment Interactions |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590252025000339 |
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| Summary: | Tropical cities like Kuala Lumpur are increasingly vulnerable to urban heat due to rapid urbanization, resulting in greater thermal discomfort, higher energy consumption, and environmental degradation. This study is among the first to comprehensively evaluate the seasonal performance of advanced urban heat mitigation solutions across diverse urban forms in the Greater Kuala Lumpur. We assess city-scale thermal management through high-resolution numerical simulations using the weather research and forecasting (WRF) model coupled with the single-layer urban canopy model (SLUCM), analysing one baseline and five mitigation scenarios: (a) control (no intervention), (b) cool materials (roof albedo 0.80, ground albedo 0.40), (c) super cool materials (roof albedo 0.95), (d) 30 % non-irrigated vegetation, (e) 60 percent non-irrigated vegetation, and (f) a combination of super cool materials with 60 % vegetation. Both monsoon and non-monsoon periods were considered to capture seasonal variability in performance. At 14:00 LT, super cool materials achieved the greatest ambient temperature reductions with 1.8 °C during the monsoon and 2.2 °C during the non-monsoon. Cool materials followed with reductions of 1.5 °C and 1.7 °C. Vegetation at 30 % reduced ambient temperatures by 0.8 to 0.9 °C, while 60 % vegetation achieved 1.2 to 1.5 °C reductions. The combined strategy delivered the highest reductions of 3.1 °C in the monsoon and 3.8 °C in the non-monsoon period. Surface temperature reductions were also most pronounced under the combined strategy, reaching 9.6 °C and 9.8 °C respectively. Individually, super cool materials reduced surface temperatures by up to 6.3 °C, cool materials by up to 5.9 °C, and 60 % vegetation by up to 3.4 °C across both seasons. The effectiveness of each strategy varied seasonally, with super cool and high-albedo surfaces performing best during the dry, high-radiation non-monsoon period, while vegetation offered more consistent cooling during the humid, cloud-covered monsoon season. These contrasts highlight the need for climate-sensitive, integrated mitigation approaches. To assess real-world applicability, these strategies were evaluated across representative local climate zones (LCZs) in Greater Kuala Lumpur. In compact high-rise and mid-rise building areas, it resulted in ambient temperature reductions of up to 4.2 °C, surface temperature drops of 11.0 °C, and universal thermal climate index (UTCI) reductions of 3.5 °C, significantly enhancing outdoor thermal comfort in dense urban areas. This study demonstrates that integrated strategies combining reflective materials with substantial vegetation coverage outperform isolated interventions. The findings provide scalable, context-specific, and seasonally adaptive guidance to support urban planning, climate-sensitive policy, and sustainable urban design in tropical cities, helping to improve long-term livability and resilience against urban heat. |
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| ISSN: | 2590-2520 |