ABSTRACT
Adapting to and ameliorating the effects of urban heat islands on energy use, comfort and health will require appropriate policies for urban planning, housing and transport. However, before these policies can be developed, quantitative tools are required to identify and quantify the net effectiveness of mitigation and adaptation strategies. Chapter 12 advocates that the wider picture should be considered. The authors explain that, in summer, urban heat islands in the UK will tend to result in an increased cooling load and an increased number of excess deaths due to overheating. Conversely, in winter urban heat islands will tend to result in reduced heating loads and a reduced number of cold-related excess deaths. This chapter therefore explains that the net effects of these impacts must be borne in mind when considering large-scale urban modifications.
