Urban Heat Island Mitigation along the High Line

Download the report: https://files.thehighline.org/pdf/Urban_Heat_Island_Mitigation.pdf

INTRODUCTION

Urban heat islands (UHIs) are land areas with elevated levels of heat as a result of the built environment and population density. The entire planet is warming due to human-caused climate change, but the built environment further amplifies both average temperatures and extreme heat in cities. Heat events adversely affect health and quality of life. And, heat-related impacts fall unequally, with historically underserved populations facing greater health threats. One solution to help alleviate these conditions is the addition of trees and plants to urban spaces, such as along the High Line. This analysis quantifies the temperature benefits of the High Line that make it a respite from extreme city heat.