Responding to the urban heat island: a review of the potential of green infrastructure

This report addresses the intensification of warming associated with urban development and climate change, which causes vulnerable social groups to be at greater risk of heat-related morbidity and mortality in Australian cities. It reviews the Australian and international scientific and technical literature quantifying the cooling and energy-saving benefits of three types of green infrastructure: shade trees; green roofs; and vertical greening systems (VGS) (green walls and facades).

It considers the relationship between urban surface temperatures and social groups vulnerable to heat-related morbidity and mortality as a way to enable governments to identify ‘hot spots’ for priority heat prevention and intervention, as well as the development of integrated green infrastructure strategies to cool urban climates as part of climate change adaptation strategies.