Abstract

To effectively achieve mitigation of heat islandeffects requires classification of urban climate zones in advancebased on analysis of the relationship between air temperatureand urban spatial elements. The objective of this study is to: 1)identify influential urban spatial elements affecting airtemperature by statistical analysis, and 2) provide fundamentalinformation on establishing thermal environment enhancementplanning through urban climate zones (UCZ) based on statisticalanalysis.<br>This study consists of three parts: First, the air temperatureof study area was analyzed using Lands at TM remotely sensedimages. Next, preparative variables including topology land use,land cover, building types, and human activities to classify UCZwere prepared, and influential urban spatial elements affectingair temperature were identified by regression analysis. Finally,UCZ were delineated by K-clustering analysis, and theappropriateness of the classified UCZ were verified usingANOVA testing.<br>The study results show that urban elements affecting airtemperature include impervious surface ratio, elevation, waterarea, distance from a subway station, and road area. In addition,a total of 10 UCZ were detected by K-clustering analysis, andthe results of the ANOVA test shows that each classified UCZwas in statistically different groups. Moreover, UCZ and airtemperature maps were found to display an almost identicalpattern.<br>This study identified more accurate and clearer UCZboundaries and explained statistically significant urban spatialcharacteristics to better understand the urban climatephenomenon. The results of this study can provide urbanplanners, architects, and landscape planners fundamentalinformation to help manage the urban thermal environment.