Publication Type
Journal Article
Version
publishedVersion
Publication Date
5-2025
Abstract
Many cities experience urban overheating from climate change and the urban heat island phenomenon. Previous studies demonstrate that parks are a potential nature-based solution to mitigate urban overheating through the ‘Park Cool Island’ (PCI) effect. PCI intensity can be measured through field measurements (FM) or remote sensing. This FM study used a network of meteorological sensors within a park and in its surrounding urban area to ascertain its PCI intensity in Singapore from January to December 2022. Consistently cooler air temperatures were found throughout a 24-h period in the park area, with mean daytime (nighttime) PCI intensity measured ~ 2.21 °C (~ 1.69 °C). A modified version of PCI (PCImodified) was developed to highlight the radiative cooling differences between the urban and park areas. PCImodified leverages on the network of sensors to preserve the spatial granularity of data, allowing for the interpolation of point data across the study area. By employing Geographical Information Science concepts, the model visualises the diurnal changes in PCImodified intensities with respect to tree height, tree density, and building height; significant cooling is positively (negatively) correlated with tree height and density (building height). This study demonstrates a comprehensive analysis of PCI and cooling intensities of parks using FM in understudied tropical urban environments.
Keywords
Field measurements, Spatial mapping, Temperature regulation, Urban overheating, Warming/cooling rates
Discipline
Asian Studies | Environmental Sciences | Urban Studies and Planning
Research Areas
Integrative Research Areas
Publication
Scientific Reports
Volume
15
Issue
1
First Page
1
Last Page
16
ISSN
2045-2322
Identifier
10.1038/s41598-025-00207-y
Publisher
Nature Research
Citation
CHING, Graces N. Y.; YIK, Sin Kang; HENG, Su Li; HO, Beatrice H.; CRANK, Peter J.; MANDELMILCH, Moshe Eliezer; HO, Xiang Tian; and Winston T. L. CHOW.
Park cool island modifications to assess radiative cooling of a tropical urban park. (2025). Scientific Reports. 15, (1), 1-16.
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/cis_research/430
Copyright Owner and License
Authors
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Additional URL
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-00207-y
Included in
Asian Studies Commons, Environmental Sciences Commons, Urban Studies and Planning Commons