The Influence of Urban Street Characteristics on Pedestrian Heat Comfort Levels in Philadelphia

This article describes relationships between selected physical characteristics of urban streets and pedestrian-level heat. It also identifies conditions that are particularly vulnerable to the summer heat. Field measurements of ambient temperatures 1 m above the ground were collected over sidewalks, green spaces, and parking lots in high density commercial and residential areas. Panel autoregression (PAR) analysis was then used to assess significant contributors, and prediction equations were developed. These explained over 90% of the total observed variation. The prediction equations were then used with a geographic information system (GIS) to create a cartographic map of hot and cool areas for a particular study site. The results indicate that planting trees can reduce ground ambient temperatures. Moreover, a cartographic map is effective tool for identifying heat vulnerable areas. This study offers a more comprehensive spatial scale analysis and most explicit prediction map than other studies to date.