2018 Reports

The Urban Heat Island of Antwerp

Lauwaet, Dirk; De Ridder, Koen; Maiheu, Bino; Hooyberghs, Hans; Lambrechts, Gaspard; Custers, Lieve; Gommers, I.

Research in Antwerp used the high-resolution UrbClim model to assess current and future urban heat island impacts, finding that the city already experiences roughly twice as many heat wave days as surrounding rural areas, with projections indicating a near tenfold increase by the end of the century. In response, citywide policies, neighborhood-scale cooling interventions, and targeted heat-health forecasting systems have been implemented to mitigate heat stress and improve urban thermal comfort.