Cost-effective Monitoring Systems for UHI for the Developing Countries: The Case Study of Shanghai, China

Abstract

As economic development, urbanization and population growth continue in the developing countries, the urban heat island (UHI) has been attributed to causing such problems as energy shortages, air pollution, and living condition deterioration in those countries. UHI is just now beginning to be researched in large cities in those countries. This paper illustrates an integrated approach. It utilizes both GPS mobile observation techniques and automatic ground monitoring stations as the most direct, easy-to-implement and cost-effective way to monitor and measure UHI in developing countries. As a part of the Core Research Project for Environmental Science Technology, funded by JSTC, we have been experimenting with our proposed monitoring systems since 1997, analyzing data collected from Shanghai, the largest commercial and industrial city in China.
Results indicate the proposed monitoring systems are valuable for making climatic observations and collecting data. They also shed light on an application of advanced observation techniques on UM research in developing countries.