SUSTAINABLE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

Dr. Narein Perera

Senior Lecturer - Department of Architecture

University of Moratuwa
 LOCAL CLIMATE ZONES
Assessing Heat Island Magnitude in the Canopy Layer
Local Climate Zones
Introduction
The Local Climate Zone (LCZ) classification is a recent development in
urban climatology.

Its aim is to assist urban heat island (UHI) investigators to classify the
physical properties of their field sites, and to ease the process of site
selection and metadata reporting.

LCZ classification is based on surface properties that influence screenlevel

air temperature, such as building height/spacing and green cover ratio.

Beyond its intended use as a classification tool, the LCZ system may help to
fill a crucial void in UHI methodology: the lack of an accepted protocol to
gather and report heat island observations in the canopy layer.
(Stewart , 2012)
Local Climate Zones
Introduction
Such a protocol should build on existing guidelines, conventions, and
frameworks in urban climatology.

The LCZ system does that, and provides a simple division of urban and rural
landscapes into morphological classes, from which a standardized definition
of heat island magnitude is derived.

This approach moves the field closer to a cohesive and workable set of rules
to assess UHI magnitude in the canopy layer, and to allow objective
comparisons of UHI magnitudes in different cities.

(Stewart , 2012)
 The urban effect and climate affect

on urban areas.
Climate impact
on climate
Urban
Urban effect
Local
Regional
Global

It is important to see the urban climate effect as embedded in the general

climate. The accumulated contributions of all the cities of the world does
have an impact on global climates. Changes in the global/regional climates
have an affect on cities.

(Mills, 2010)
Scales of Urban Climate
The urban effect is scale dependent. So evaluating its effect depends on
how and where you measure.

Oke (2006)
Classifying Urban Climate Field Sites:
Local Climate Zones

Defined as regions of uniform surface-air temperature distribution at

horizontal scales of 102 to 104 metres (Stewart and Oke, 2009).

Based on characteristic geometry and land cover that generates a unique near-
surface climate under calm, clear skies. These include vegetative fraction,
building/tree height and spacing, soil moisture, and anthropogenic heat flux.

Classification of urban climate field sites traditionally relies on simplistic

descriptors like urban and rural. While these descriptors might
appropriately describe the regional setting of an investigation, they convey
nothing of its micro- and local-scale site properties that actually influence
surface-layer climate.

Improves consistency and accuracy in urban climate reporting

Iain Stewart , 2011

Guidelines for classifying heat
island field sites into local
climate zones

Iain Stewart , 2011

Step 1 Define the area of influence

Iain Stewart , 2011

Step 2 Collect site metadata

Iain Stewart , 2011

Iain Stewart , 2011
Example: LCZ3 Compact Lowrise

DEFINITION

FUNCTION

LOCATION

SKETCH

PHOTOGRAPHS

PROPERTIES

Source - Stewart , 2011

Step 3 Select LCZ

Iain Stewart , 2011

Mapping Local Climate Zones and Relative
Warming Effects in Colombo, Sri Lanka
Classifying Urban Climate Field Sites:

Local Climate Zone Map of Colombo

Step 1 Define the area of influence

The primary objective of the study was to ascertain
the morphological factors effecting the urban
outdoors. The tools used were;

Detailed map of Colombo (in AutoCad format generated

from GIS)
Urban blocks and Building Outlines
Roads
Water bodies and Land Contours

Google Earth

Satellite data
Step 2 Collect site metadata

Property Method adopted

Building Height / Spacing - Detailed maps, Field surveys, Google earth, Satellite imagery
Surface cover - Field surveys, Google earth, Satellite imagery
Aspect ratio - Detailed maps, Field surveys
Sky View Factor - Field surveys, manual estimation
Thermal admittance - Estimated from published values / LCZ data sheet as guide
Classifying Urban Climate Field Sites:

Local Climate Zone Map of Colombo

Step 3 Select LCZ

LCZ Map prior to sub-categorisation

Classifying Urban Climate Field Sites:

Local Climate Zone Map of Colombo

Step 3 Sub-categorize LCZs if needed

References
Eriyagama, N.; Smakhtin, V.; Chandrapala, L.; Fernando, K. (2010). Impacts of climate change on water resources and
agriculture in Sri Lanka: a review and preliminary vulnerability mapping. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water
Management Institute. 51p. (IWMI Research Report 135). doi:10.3910/2010.211

Emmanuel R, Johansson EJ. (2006). Influence of urban morphology and sea breeze on hot humid microclimate: the
case of Colombo, Sri Lanka. Clim. Res. 30, pp. 189200

Johnson GT, Oke TR, Lyons TJ, Steyn DG, Watson ID, Voogt JA. (1991). Simulation of surface urban heat islands under
ideal conditions at night. Part 1: theory and tests against field data. Boundary Layer Meteorol.56, pp. 275-294

Mills. G. (2010) .Urban Weather and Climate: An introduction to urban climatology. WMO / CLIPS Training Programme.
Pune, India

GT, Oke TR, Lyons TJ, Steyn DG, Watson ID, Voogt JA. (1991). Simulation of surface urban heat islands under ideal
conditions at night. Part 1: theory and tests against field data. Boundary Layer Meteorol.56, pp. 275-294

Perera. N. G. R, Emmanuel M P R, Mahanama P K S (2012). Mapping Local Climate Zones and Relative Warming
Effects in Colombo, Sri Lanka. ICUC8 8th International Conference on Urban Climates, 6th-10th August, 2012, UCD,
Dublin Ireland.

Stewart, I.D. and T.R. Oke, (2009). Classifying urban climate field sites by local climate zone. The case of Nagana
Japan. The seventh international conference on Urban climate, 29 June - 3 July 2009, Yokohama, Japan.

Stewart, I. D. (2011). Redefining the Urban Heat Island, PhD Thesis, University of British Columbia
(https://circle.ubc.ca/handle/2429/38069, accessed April 2012)

Stewart, I.D. (2012). Local climate zones : Towards a Protocol for Assessing Heat Island Magnitude in the Canopy
Layer. ICUC8 8th International Conference on Urban Climates, 6th-10th August, 2012, UCD, Dublin Ireland.

thank you