Utilizing Open-Source Satellite Data for the Relationship between Building Height and Land Surface Temperature

Abstract

Cities around the world face urban heat island problems due to urban development. For example, the number of high-rise buildings keeps increasing. Available studies argue whether high-rise buildings increase or decrease the land surface temperature (LST). This study analyzed the relationship between LST and building height using open-source satellite datasets in six areas, namely Tokyo, Beijing, Jakarta, Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago. The LST data were derived from Landsat 8. The building height data were derived by subtracting Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) data from Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS). The results showed that building height had a negative relationship with LST in every study area. High-rise buildings consistently tended to have lower LST compared to low-rise buildings regardless of the cities analyzed. A higher LST variability was observed in low-rise buildings area.