Abstract Summary
In an era of escalating urban challenges, the translation of research into actionable solutions is imperative. As urban land surface temperatures (ULSTs) continue to rise, existing literature in this domain presents a multitude of findings, especially with regards to the robust metrics that influence this biophysical phenomenon across diverse landscapes. This research, was initiated based on a systematic literature review, from which 101 articles examining landscape structure metrics and ULSTs were scrutinized and the generic landscape character of each study site were (unobtrusively) assessed. In this study, from 432 landscape metrics, 49 (11%) were identified as been robust; each attuned to specific landscape contexts, and essential for understanding and mitigating ULST. To facilitate the application of this research, an openly accessible dashboard was developed to present the findings of this study and its application, as a planning support tool. More specifically, stakeholders can harness this visualization tool to pinpoint pertinent metrics for ULST mitigation or simply reveal robust metrics that ought to be considered in understanding the dynamics of ULST in any given landscape character. By openly sharing this tool, further research is advocated in order to broaden the database of this tool and invariably its scope. Lastly, the next step is to evaluate the usefulness and usability of this tool by potential users, and incorporate the user-feedback in its final design.
