The seasonal and diurnal influence of surrounding land use on temperature: Findings from Seoul, South Korea

Abstract

There is a growing interest in understanding how the built environment affects temperature in cities. This study explores the impact of land use on temperature and how it varies by season and time of day in Seoul, South Korea. Unlike other studies that rely on extracted data from remotely sensed information, this study uses land use data from local GIS and near-ground temperature data from a network of state-run weather stations. To deal with multicollinearity among the land use variables, partial least squares regression models were used for analysis. Results suggest that residential and commercial uses and roads increase the temperature while open spaces decrease it. In detail, central commercial use, high-density residential use, and roads were influential heaters, while greenery was an influential cooler throughout the year. This study suggests the need for place-based planning and design solutions that help build climate resilience of cities.