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The Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect is a significant concern in today's rapidly urbanising cities, with exacerbating heatwaves' impact, urban livelihood, and environmental well-being. This study aims to assess the cooling effect of blue-green spaces in Bhubaneswar, India, and explore their implications for mitigating UHI effects. Satellite images were processed with Google Earth Engine (GEE) to produce information on the blue-green spaces' land surface temperatures (LST). The Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Modified Normalised Difference Water Index (MNDWI) were employed to quantify the presence and characteristics of these blue-green spaces. The findings revealed significant spatial variations in the LST, with higher temperatures observed in bare land and built-up areas and lower temperatures in proximity to the blue-green spaces. In addition, a correlation analysis indicated the strong influence of the built-up index (NDBI) on the LST, emphasising the impact of urbanisation on local climate dynamics. The analysis demonstrated the potential of blue-green spaces in reducing surface temperatures and mitigating UHI effects. Based on these results, strategic interventions were proposed, such as increasing the coverage of green spaces, optimising access to water bodies, and integrating water-sensitive design principles into urban planning to enhance the cooling effects and foster a more sustainable and resilient urban environment. This study highlighted the importance of leveraging remote sensing and GEE for urban UHI analyses. It provides valuable insights for policymakers and urban planners to prioritise nature-based solutions for heat mitigation in Bhubaneswar and other similar cities. Future research could delve deeper into a quantitative assessment of the cooling benefits of specific blue-green infrastructure interventions and explore their socio-economic impacts on urban communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water-sensitive design (WSD) is created to manage water sensitivity, such as rainwater management and water supply. Manado City is strategically located in North Sulawesi Province, Indonesia, which is growing rapidly but has slum areas and is prone to flooding. Slums do not meet standards, including water management. The application of WSD to residential areas in urban areas affects the utilization of rainwater flows and the availability of alternative water sources. Previous studies did not look at the potential for implementing WSD to increase the settlement quality in slum areas. This study aims to identify the potential for implementing WSD in the urban slum area of Manado city by considering the existing situation and conditions. Furthermore, this study reviews the physical, non-physical, and supporting aspects for the potential implementation. Three locations of Manado city slums were reviewed as case studies. For data collection, this study uses the interview method through structured questionnaires, area observations, and secondary data. The physical aspect reviews the rainwater drainage system fed by greywater and the water supply including groundwater and refilled water. The non-physical aspect reviews incomes, ownership of houses, and limited land. The study results show that the application of WSD is very potential given the location conditions, but some challenges need to be considered according to the characteristics of the location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water is the source of life and the fundamental element of ecology, and climate is inseparable from water. To evaluate the influence of water-adaptive space in a traditional Weizi (polder village) settlement on its microclimate, the authors analyzed the morphological characteristics of such a polder village and applied the ENVI-met model to simulate the impact of water bodies and village morphological elements on human thermal comfort. This paper demonstrates the positive impact of water bodies on improving the thermal environment of a village and regulating its microclimate by quantifying the impact of morphological elements of the settlement on microclimate. The results indicate that: 1) The simulation model fits the actual measurements well, and the simulation accurately reflects experimental results; 2) In summer, the cooling effect of water bodies is better in the afternoon than in the morning, especially from 12:00 to 15:00. The cooling effect is significantly correlated with the distance to water bodies, i.e., the closer, the better; 3) Building density and man-made underlying surface are negatively correlated with temperature, humidity, and Physiological Equivalent Temperature value, while greening rate and water body rate are positively correlated with microclimate. Overall, water bodies can improve outdoor comfort in summer and thus should be protected and developed in rural planning and design. Villages can be built around water bodies for a maximized cooling effect, and microclimate comfort can be effectively improved by increasing green plants near the village center, and reducing man-made underlying surface and building density. The results of this study will guide the improvement of the habitat environment in the process of rural revitalization, as well as the protection and re-development of traditional villages.

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