The quest for temperature records in California free of urban heat island effects [abstract, figures, and tables]

EXTRACT (SEE PDF FOR FULL ABSTRACT): The data of this paper differ from the Jones and Bradley papers [of 1982-1986] in that it represents an attempt to select thermal pollution free records rather than to include all available records. The specific long-term trends that this paper is trying to avoid are those illustrated by the heat islands of fast growing urban locations. One other major difference in this paper is that all of the records reported of this study are complete for the entire study period.

Tailored sustainability assessment for urban masterplanning

Tailored sustainability assessment represents one approach to addressing sustainability issues on large-scale urban projects with varying geographical, social and political constraints and diverse incentives among stakeholders. This paper examines the value and limitations of this approach. Three case studies of tailored systems developed by the authors for three unique masterplanning projects are discussed in terms of: contextual sustainability drivers; nature and evolution of systems developed; outcomes of implementation; and overall value delivered. Analysis Leads to conclusions on the key features of effective tailored assessment, the value of tailored sustainability assessment from various perspectives (including client, designer, end-users and the environment), and the limitations of tailored assessment as a tool for comparative analysis between projects. Although systems considered here are specific to individual projects and developed commercially, the challenges and lessons learned are relevant to a range of sustainability assessment approaches developed under different conditions.