This book offers a comprehensive exploration of how artificial intelligence (AI), ecological design, and governance reforms can be leveraged to tackle climate-induced urban heat.
The book is structured around three key themes: AI for climate adaptation, green infrastructure and design innovation, and policy and planning perspectives. It delves into how intelligent technologies like remote sensing, real-time monitoring, and machine learning are revolutionising the assessment and management of urban microclimate risks. Specific applications include enhancing urban resilience through hyperlocal weather alert systems and analysing the influence of vegetation and building distribution on urban heat for better mitigation. The book further examines how nature-based interventions, such as AI-optimised vegetation strategies and cooling infrastructure, can create thermally comfortable and ecologically robust urban environments. It highlights the growing intersection of AI and green infrastructure in climate adaptation and urban sustainability. Beyond technology and design, the author focuses on governance and policy frameworks, exploring how institutional arrangements and planning paradigms can translate digital and design solutions into equitable and effective climate action. It investigates how climate action is reflected in local urban planning, drawing insights from cities committed to global climate agreements. By integrating computational tools, bioclimatic design, and multilevel governance, the book provides a holistic framework for addressing urban heat challenges.
It is an essential resource for urban planners, climate researchers, and policymakers seeking forward-looking, inclusive, and technologically informed strategies for building heat-ready cities in a warming world.