Skip to main content

Impact of Urban Overheating on Critical Infrastructure

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability

Part of the book series: Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation ((ASTI))

  • 571 Accesses

Abstract

Affected by urban overheating (UO), urban areas are suffering more frequent thermal threats. This problem has severe environmental, economic, social and health consequences, where UO damages critical infrastructure (CIE) such as blackout, roads melting, and others. The disorder of the CIE under UO conditions can further aggravate the threats to public health. There is a need to take mitigation approach for an environmentally sustainable interpretation of CIE for in the planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance processes. However, whilst there are some reports on the impact of UO on CIE, there is a lack of systematic understanding, particularly associated with the CIE development and management. Therefore, this study fills this research gap by analysing such impacts in transport, energy, water and emergency or healthcare services. This study further provides recommendations for future management of CIE, including the high-temperature-resistant design, the use of high-temperature-resistant materials and targeted follow-up maintenance and management based on CIs characteristics across studies. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the effect of UO on CIE, the suitability of various technologies to reduce the impacts and future perspectives. This review can be a start for researchers and practitioners to optimise CIE management, and in turn, improve urban wellbeing.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 189.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 249.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Bartos, M., Chester, M., Johnson, N., Gorman, B., Eisenberg, D., Linkov, I., et al. (2016). Impacts of rising air temperatures on electric transmission ampacity and peak electricity load in the United States. Environmental Research Letters, 11(11), 114008.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Battista, G., de Lieto Vollaro, R., & Zinzi, M. (2019). Assessment of urban overheating mitigation strategies in a square in Rome, Italy. Solar Energy, 180, 608–621.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Carnielo, E., & Zinzi, M. (2013). Optical and thermal characterisation of cool asphalts to mitigate urban temperatures and building cooling demand. Building and Environment, 60, 56–65.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chapman, L., Azevedo, J. A., & Prieto-Lopez, T. (2013). Urban heat & critical infrastructure networks: A viewpoint. Urban Climate, 3, 7–12.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chinowsky, P., Helman, J., Gulati, S., Neumann, J., & Martinich, J. (2019). Impacts of climate change on operation of the US rail network. Transport Policy, 75, 183–191.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cruz, A. M., & Krausmann, E. (2013). Vulnerability of the oil and gas sector to climate change and extreme weather events. Climatic Change, 121(1), 41–53.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Duan, K., Caldwell, P. V., Sun, G., McNulty, S. G., Zhang, Y., Shuster, E., et al. (2019). Understanding the role of regional water connectivity in mitigating climate change impacts on surface water supply stress in the United States. Journal of Hydrology, 570, 80–95.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Eldosouky, A., Saad, W., & Mandayam, N. (2021). Resilient critical infrastructure: Bayesian network analysis and contract-based optimization. Reliability Engineering & System Safety, 205, 107243.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fant, C., Boehlert, B., Strzepek, K., Larsen, P., White, A., Gulati, S., et al. (2020). Climate change impacts and costs to U.S. electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure. Energy, 195, 116899.

    Google Scholar 

  • Förster, H., & Lilliestam, J. (2010). Modeling thermoelectric power generation in view of climate change. Regional Environmental Change, 10(4), 327–338.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Forzieri, G., Bianchi, A., Silva, F. B. e., Marin Herrera, M. A., Leblois, A., Lavalle, C., et al. (2018). Escalating impacts of climate extremes on critical infrastructures in Europe. Global Environmental Change, 48, 97–107.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guo, Y., & Shen, Y. (2016). Agricultural water supply/demand changes under projected future climate change in the arid region of northwestern China. Journal of Hydrology, 540, 257–273.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Hawchar, L., Naughton, O., Nolan, P., Stewart, M. G., & Ryan, P. C. (2020). A GIS-based framework for high-level climate change risk assessment of critical infrastructure. Climate Risk Management, 29, 100235.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • He, B.-J., Zhao, D., Xiong, K., Qi, J., Ulpiani, G., Pignatta, G., et al. (2021). A framework for addressing urban heat challenges and associated adaptive behaviour by the public and the issue of willingness to pay for heat resilient infrastructure in Chongqing, China. Sustainable Cities and Society, 103361.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leveque, B., Burnet, J. B., Dorner, S., & Bichai, F. (2021). Impact of climate change on the vulnerability of drinking water intakes in a northern region. Sustainable Cities and Society, 66, 102656.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li, Y., Schubert, S., Kropp, J. P., & Rybski, D. (2020). On the influence of density and morphology on the Urban Heat Island intensity. Nature Communications, 11(1), 2647.

    Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, K., Wang, M., & Zhou, T. (2021). Increasing costs to Chinese railway infrastructure by extreme precipitation in a warmer world. Transportation Research Part d: Transport and Environment, 93, 102797.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Manoli, G., Fatichi, S., Schläpfer, M., Yu, K., Crowther, T. W., Meili, N., et al. (2019). Magnitude of urban heat islands largely explained by climate and population. Nature, 573(7772), 55–60.

    Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mi, C., Shatwell, T., Ma, J., Xu, Y., Su, F., & Rinke, K. (2020). Ensemble warming projections in Germany’s largest drinking water reservoir and potential adaptation strategies. Science of the Total Environment, 748, 141366.

    Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mulholland, E., & Feyen, L. (2021). Increased risk of extreme heat to European roads and railways with global warming. Climate Risk Management, 100365.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nam, W.-H., Choi, J.-Y., & Hong, E.-M. (2015). Irrigation vulnerability assessment on agricultural water supply risk for adaptive management of climate change in South Korea. Agricultural Water Management, 152, 173–187.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pereira, P., & Pais, J. (2017). Main flexible pavement and mix design methods in Europe and challenges for the development of an European method. Journal of Traffic and Transportation Engineering (english Edition), 4(4), 316–346.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pyrgou, A., Castaldo, V. L., Pisello, A. L., Cotana, F., & Santamouris, M. (2017). On the effect of summer heatwaves and urban overheating on building thermal-energy performance in central Italy. Sustainable Cities and Society, 28, 187–200.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rehak, D. (2020). Assessing and strengthening organisational resilience in a critical infrastructure system: Case study of the Slovak Republic. Safety Science, 123, 104573.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rübbelke, D., & Vögele, S. (2013). Short-term distributional consequences of climate change impacts on the power sector: Who gains and who loses? Climatic Change, 116(2), 191–206.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Santamouris, M., Cartalis, C., Synnefa, A., & Kolokotsa, D. (2015). On the impact of urban heat island and global warming on the power demand and electricity consumption of buildings—A review. Energy and Buildings, 98, 119–124.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Santamouris, M., & Kolokotsa, D. (2015). On the impact of urban overheating and extreme climatic conditions on housing, energy, comfort and environmental quality of vulnerable population in Europe. Energy and Buildings, 98, 125–133.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Santamouris, M., Paolini, R., Haddad, S., Synnefa, A., Garshasbi, S., Hatvani-Kovacs, G., et al. (2020). Heat mitigation technologies can improve sustainability in cities. An holistic experimental and numerical impact assessment of urban overheating and related heat mitigation strategies on energy consumption, indoor comfort, vulnerability and heat-related mortality and morbidity in cities. Energy and Buildings, 217, 110002.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sisto, N. P., Ramírez, A. I., Aguilar-Barajas, I., & Magaña-Rueda, V. (2016). Climate threats, water supply vulnerability and the risk of a water crisis in the Monterrey Metropolitan Area (Northeastern Mexico). Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Parts a/b/c, 91, 2–9.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Stone, B., Mallen, E., Rajput, M., Broadbent, A., Krayenhoff, E. S., Augenbroe, G., et al. (2021). Climate change and infrastructure risk: Indoor heat exposure during a concurrent heat wave and blackout event in Phoenix, Arizona. Urban Climate, 36, 100787.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stoner, A. M. K., Daniel, J. S., Jacobs, J. M., Hayhoe, K., & Scott-Fleming, I. (2019). Quantifying the impact of climate change on flexible pavement performance and lifetime in the United States. Transportation Research Record, 2673(1), 110–122.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Su, M. A., Ngarambe, J., Santamouris, M., & Yun, G. Y. (2021). Empirical evidence on the impact of urban overheating on building cooling and heating energy consumption. iScience, 24(5), 102495.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ulpiani, G., di Perna, C., & Zinzi, M. (2019). Water nebulization to counteract urban overheating: Development and experimental test of a smart logic to maximize energy efficiency and outdoor environmental quality. Applied Energy, 239, 1091–1113.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Underwood, B. S., Guido, Z., Gudipudi, P., & Feinberg, Y. (2017). Increased costs to US pavement infrastructure from future temperature rise. Nature Climate Change, 7(10), 704–707.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Varianou Mikellidou, C., Shakou, L. M., Boustras, G., & Dimopoulos, C. (2018). Energy critical infrastructures at risk from climate change: A state of the art review. Safety Science, 110, 110–120.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Viola, F., & Celauro, C. (2015). Effect of climate change on asphalt binder selection for road construction in Italy. Transportation Research Part d: Transport and Environment, 37, 40–47.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Project NO. 2021CDJQY-004 supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Bao-Jie He .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Wu, S., Liu, X., He, BJ. (2022). Impact of Urban Overheating on Critical Infrastructure. In: He, BJ., Prasad, D., Pignatta, G., Jupesta, J. (eds) Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability. Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-12015-2_9

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics