The potential for reducing urban air temperatures and energy consumption through vegetative cooling

Kurn, D M; Bretz, S E; Huang, B; Akbari, H

doi:10.2172/10180633

Title: The potential for reducing urban air temperatures and energy consumption through vegetative cooling

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Abstract

A network of 23 weather stations was used to detect existing oases in Southern California. Four stations, separated from one another by 15--25 miles (24--40 km), were closely examined. Data were strongly affected by the distance of the stations from the Pacific Ocean. This and other city-scale effects made the network inadequate for detection of urban oases. We also conducted traverse measurements of temperature and humidity in the Whittier Narrows Recreation Area in Los Angeles County on September 8--10, 1993. Near-surface air temperatures over vegetated areas were 1--2{degrees}C lower than background air temperatures. We estimate that vegetation may lower urban temperatures by 1{degrees}C, while the establishment of vegetative canopies may lower local temperatures by an additional 2{degrees}C. An increase in vegetation in residential neighborhoods may reduce peak loads in the Los Angeles area by 0.3 GW, and reduce energy consumption by 0.2 BkWh/year, saving $20 million annually. Large additional savings would result from regional cooling.

Authors:: Kurn, D M; Bretz, S E; Huang, B; Akbari, H

Publication Date:: 1994-05-01

Research Org.:: Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States); Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC (United States); California Inst. for Energy Efficiency, Berkeley, CA (United States)

OSTI Identifier:: 10180633

Report Number(s):: LBL-35320
ON: DE94018534

DOE Contract Number:: AC03-76SF00098

Resource Type:: Technical Report

Resource Relation:: Other Information: PBD: May 1994

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY AND ECONOMY; URBAN AREAS; LOAD MANAGEMENT; PLANTS; PEAK LOAD; COST; TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT; 296000; ELECTRIC POWER

Citation Formats


                    Kurn, D M, Bretz, S E, Huang, B, and Akbari, H. The potential for reducing urban air temperatures and energy consumption through vegetative cooling.  United States: N. p., 1994. 
        Web.  doi:10.2172/10180633.

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                    Kurn, D M, Bretz, S E, Huang, B, & Akbari, H. The potential for reducing urban air temperatures and energy consumption through vegetative cooling.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.2172/10180633

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                    Kurn, D M, Bretz, S E, Huang, B, and Akbari, H. 1994.  
        "The potential for reducing urban air temperatures and energy consumption through vegetative cooling".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.2172/10180633.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/10180633.

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@article{osti_10180633,

  title        = {The potential for reducing urban air temperatures and energy consumption through vegetative cooling},

  author       = {Kurn, D M and Bretz, S E and Huang, B and Akbari, H},

  abstractNote = {A network of 23 weather stations was used to detect existing oases in Southern California. Four stations, separated from one another by 15--25 miles (24--40 km), were closely examined. Data were strongly affected by the distance of the stations from the Pacific Ocean. This and other city-scale effects made the network inadequate for detection of urban oases. We also conducted traverse measurements of temperature and humidity in the Whittier Narrows Recreation Area in Los Angeles County on September 8--10, 1993. Near-surface air temperatures over vegetated areas were 1--2{degrees}C lower than background air temperatures. We estimate that vegetation may lower urban temperatures by 1{degrees}C, while the establishment of vegetative canopies may lower local temperatures by an additional 2{degrees}C. An increase in vegetation in residential neighborhoods may reduce peak loads in the Los Angeles area by 0.3 GW, and reduce energy consumption by 0.2 BkWh/year, saving $20 million annually. Large additional savings would result from regional cooling.},

  doi          = {10.2172/10180633},

  url          = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/10180633},
  journal      = {},
number       = ,

  volume       = ,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {1994},

  month        = {5}

}

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