Fuente: Sustainability - Revista científica (MDPI) Sustainability, Vol. 18, Pages 4722: Integrated Sustainability and Cost–Benefit Assessment of Rooftop Urban Heat Island Mitigation Measures Considering Temporal Characteristics and Seasonal Trade-Offs in Osaka, Japan
Sustainability doi: 10.3390/su18104722
Authors:
Natsu Terui
Daisuke Narumi

Urban heat island (UHI) mitigation is essential for improving urban sustainability by reducing heat stress, energy demand, and climate-related health risks. This study evaluates three rooftop measures—highly reflective roofs (HR), green roofs (GR), and rooftop water sprinkling (WR)—in Osaka Prefecture, Japan, using an integrated assessment framework. Temperature changes induced by each measure were simulated using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model and linked to energy consumption and health impacts through temperature sensitivity coefficients. Health impacts were quantified using disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), and all impacts were monetized for cost–benefit analysis. All measures reduced summer outdoor air temperatures, although their temporal and seasonal effects differed. HR and WR mainly produced daytime cooling, whereas GR provided stronger nighttime cooling. HR and GR increased residential energy consumption due to higher winter heating demand, while WR avoided this penalty through seasonal operation. All measures reduced office and commercial energy consumption and improved health impacts, with GR and WR producing larger benefits than HR. WR achieved the highest benefit–cost ratio, followed by GR and HR. These findings emphasize temporal characteristics, seasonal trade-offs, and spatial targeting in UHI policy.