A study of the London Heat Island

An Urban Heat Island refers to the increased temperature of urban air compared to the temperature of its rural surroundings. There are a number of factors which contribute to this phenomenon, the most significant being the materials used in urban areas compared to those in rural areas. These materials, such as tarmac and concrete, have higher heat capacities compared to the natural materials and so they effectively act as huge thermal storage systems for the energy emitted by the sun.

In this exercise you will study the London heat island.


Urban Heat Island Video Clip		Download lesson plan PDF

The material for this lesson was created by Imperial college London