Quantitative Analysis and Spatial Pattern Research of Built-Up Environments and Surface Urban Heat Island Effect in Beijing’s Main Urban Area
Peng Zeng, Cheng Zong, Xu Wei
Abstract
The surface urban heat island (SUHI) phenomenon, predominantly influenced by factors associated with the built-up environment, is prominent in large metropolitan areas. To effectively mitigate the escalating thermal environment challenges arising during large cities’ developmental planning, rigorously examining the spatial interdependencies between the built-up environment and the SUHI phenomenon is imperative. Employing Beijing's primary urban area as a case study, this research addresses the gap in the systematic analysis of spatial correlations between the built-up environment and SUHI within the urban heat island effect research domain. The study leverages Landsat-8 satellite data spanning 2016–2020, Sentinel-2 land-use classification data, and 2020 digital elevation model (DEM) data, integrating them with geospatial data processing techniques to probe the multifaceted associations between the built-up environment and SUHI in a 1 × 1-km grid-based local-scale model. This investigation is distinguished by developing a Comprehensive Built-up Environment System Index, synthesized through multisource data and multidimensional methodologies. The study culminates in the following key findings: (1) Between 2016 and 2020, Beijing's primary urban area manifested an ascending spiral trend in the SUHI effect, with the heat island morphology exhibiting nonuniformity across the four seasons. (2) In the historical summer heat island scenarios of Beijing's primary urban area, the architectural and roadway environments demonstrated a consistently positive correlation with the SUHI effect. (3) Excluding the average number of floors parameter, all remaining urban built-up environment parameters exhibited a significant association with SUHI fluctuations.