Predicting the reduction in heatstroke and heart disease-related mortality under urban modification scenarios using machine learning

This study proposes a novel approach combining machine learning (ML) techniques with meteorological model simulations to evaluate the heat-related mortality reduction potential of a climate change adaptation measure, namely, the installation of energy-saving or temperature-decreasing modifications i...

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Main Authors: Yukitaka Ohashi, Ko Nakajima, Yuya Takane, Yukihiro Kikegawa, Tomohiko Ihara, Kazutaka Oka
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IOP Publishing 2025-01-01
Series:Environmental Research: Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1088/2752-5309/ada96e
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author Yukitaka Ohashi
Ko Nakajima
Yuya Takane
Yukihiro Kikegawa
Tomohiko Ihara
Kazutaka Oka
author_facet Yukitaka Ohashi
Ko Nakajima
Yuya Takane
Yukihiro Kikegawa
Tomohiko Ihara
Kazutaka Oka
author_sort Yukitaka Ohashi
collection DOAJ
description This study proposes a novel approach combining machine learning (ML) techniques with meteorological model simulations to evaluate the heat-related mortality reduction potential of a climate change adaptation measure, namely, the installation of energy-saving or temperature-decreasing modifications in an urban area (e.g. greening, high-albedo paints, and photovoltaics). These methods have been used separately to assess the future urban health. The Weather Research and Forecasting–Canopy-Building Energy Model (WRF–CMBEM) was used to simulate spatiotemporal urban meteorological conditions, and ML was applied to predict daily heat-related deaths in the 23 wards of Tokyo during the extremely hot summer of 2018. The urban energy-saving and heat island mitigation scenarios evaluated in this study were ground surface greening, no anthropogenic heat from buildings to the atmosphere, rooftop photovoltaics, and cool roofs. ML accurately predicted heatstroke- and ischemic heart disease (IHD)-related daily deaths using important meteorological factors. After meteorological changes from the control case to four urban modification scenarios were predicted using the WRF–CMBEM, potential reductions in heat-related deaths were estimated using previously successful ML-trained models. The results showed that in July–August 2018, the ground surface greening case effectively decreased the outdoor surface air temperature by 0.28 °C (50-percentile), 0.37 °C (90-percentile), and 0.56 °C (Max) in all grids resolved at 1 km. Temperature changes reduced heatstroke deaths by 43% and IHD deaths by 18% during the peak period of deaths in summer 2018. Cool roofs resulted in temperature decreases of 0.23 °C (50-percentile), 0.31 °C (90-percentile), and 0.36 °C (Max) and 14% and 13% reductions in heatstroke and IHD deaths, respectively. The results suggest that the implementation of urban modifications can effectively reduce heat-related deaths, especially during heatwaves and extremely hot summers.
format Article
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institution Kabale University
issn 2752-5309
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher IOP Publishing
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series Environmental Research: Health
spelling doaj-art-9f63b632786f483b93921585629c9a1a2025-02-07T15:22:55ZengIOP PublishingEnvironmental Research: Health2752-53092025-01-013202500110.1088/2752-5309/ada96ePredicting the reduction in heatstroke and heart disease-related mortality under urban modification scenarios using machine learningYukitaka Ohashi0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0257-828XKo Nakajima1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4332-8738Yuya Takane2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6259-2748Yukihiro Kikegawa3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5225-653XTomohiko Ihara4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9252-0091Kazutaka Oka5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7711-241XFaculty of Biosphere-Geosphere Science, Okayama University of Science , Kita-ku, Okayama City, JapanEnvironmental Management Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) , Tsukuba City, Ibaraki, JapanEnvironmental Management Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) , Tsukuba City, Ibaraki, JapanSchool of Science and Engineering, Meisei University , Hino City, Tokyo, JapanGraduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo , Kashiwa City, Chiba, JapanCenter for Climate Change Adaptation, National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) , Tsukuba City, Ibaraki, JapanThis study proposes a novel approach combining machine learning (ML) techniques with meteorological model simulations to evaluate the heat-related mortality reduction potential of a climate change adaptation measure, namely, the installation of energy-saving or temperature-decreasing modifications in an urban area (e.g. greening, high-albedo paints, and photovoltaics). These methods have been used separately to assess the future urban health. The Weather Research and Forecasting–Canopy-Building Energy Model (WRF–CMBEM) was used to simulate spatiotemporal urban meteorological conditions, and ML was applied to predict daily heat-related deaths in the 23 wards of Tokyo during the extremely hot summer of 2018. The urban energy-saving and heat island mitigation scenarios evaluated in this study were ground surface greening, no anthropogenic heat from buildings to the atmosphere, rooftop photovoltaics, and cool roofs. ML accurately predicted heatstroke- and ischemic heart disease (IHD)-related daily deaths using important meteorological factors. After meteorological changes from the control case to four urban modification scenarios were predicted using the WRF–CMBEM, potential reductions in heat-related deaths were estimated using previously successful ML-trained models. The results showed that in July–August 2018, the ground surface greening case effectively decreased the outdoor surface air temperature by 0.28 °C (50-percentile), 0.37 °C (90-percentile), and 0.56 °C (Max) in all grids resolved at 1 km. Temperature changes reduced heatstroke deaths by 43% and IHD deaths by 18% during the peak period of deaths in summer 2018. Cool roofs resulted in temperature decreases of 0.23 °C (50-percentile), 0.31 °C (90-percentile), and 0.36 °C (Max) and 14% and 13% reductions in heatstroke and IHD deaths, respectively. The results suggest that the implementation of urban modifications can effectively reduce heat-related deaths, especially during heatwaves and extremely hot summers.https://doi.org/10.1088/2752-5309/ada96eheatstrokeischemic heart diseasesmachine learningmeteorological modelTokyourban climate change
spellingShingle Yukitaka Ohashi
Ko Nakajima
Yuya Takane
Yukihiro Kikegawa
Tomohiko Ihara
Kazutaka Oka
Predicting the reduction in heatstroke and heart disease-related mortality under urban modification scenarios using machine learning
Environmental Research: Health
heatstroke
ischemic heart diseases
machine learning
meteorological model
Tokyo
urban climate change
title Predicting the reduction in heatstroke and heart disease-related mortality under urban modification scenarios using machine learning
title_full Predicting the reduction in heatstroke and heart disease-related mortality under urban modification scenarios using machine learning
title_fullStr Predicting the reduction in heatstroke and heart disease-related mortality under urban modification scenarios using machine learning
title_full_unstemmed Predicting the reduction in heatstroke and heart disease-related mortality under urban modification scenarios using machine learning
title_short Predicting the reduction in heatstroke and heart disease-related mortality under urban modification scenarios using machine learning
title_sort predicting the reduction in heatstroke and heart disease related mortality under urban modification scenarios using machine learning
topic heatstroke
ischemic heart diseases
machine learning
meteorological model
Tokyo
urban climate change
url https://doi.org/10.1088/2752-5309/ada96e
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AT konakajima predictingthereductioninheatstrokeandheartdiseaserelatedmortalityunderurbanmodificationscenariosusingmachinelearning
AT yuyatakane predictingthereductioninheatstrokeandheartdiseaserelatedmortalityunderurbanmodificationscenariosusingmachinelearning
AT yukihirokikegawa predictingthereductioninheatstrokeandheartdiseaserelatedmortalityunderurbanmodificationscenariosusingmachinelearning
AT tomohikoihara predictingthereductioninheatstrokeandheartdiseaserelatedmortalityunderurbanmodificationscenariosusingmachinelearning
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