Renewable energy sources and other energy technologies as a measure for mitigating the impact of urban heat islands

Abstract

Urban heat islands (UHI) represent increase of temperature inside of cities in  regard to their rural environment. Causes of their formation are diverse and  multiple: reduced amount of vegetation and waterproofing of surfaces, changed  radiation and thermal characteristics of materials, urban geometry. Consequences  are also diverse and significant: increasing consumption of energy for cooling,  negative impact on human health, deterioration of air quality. Conventional  methods for mitigating their impact include reflective and green roofs and  introduction of green and water surfaces in cities. Different renewable energy  technologies can also have positive impact on urban heat islands, but at the same  time they contribute to greater energy independency of cities what is goal of future  urban development. Proposed and described technologies are solar cooling, groundair  heat exchanger, passive cooling, solar pond.