The Impact of Street Trees on Temperature Reduction in a Nature-Based Climate Adaptation Program in George Town, Malaysia

Abstract

Nature-based solutions have been promoted as an effective strategy to address climate impacts, including urban temperature reduction. In this paper, we analyze the impacts of the introduction of street trees on temperature (Universal Thermal Climate Index, UTCI) for three different dates, 2000, 2023, and 2050. A 3D model was developed in Rhinoceros software for a part of George Town, on Penang Island. Four different sections of streets were simulated after integration of the model with the Grasshopper plug-in, where a parametric system was built for temperature measurements based on simulations in the Ladybug and Honeybee plug-ins. The tree species used were selected from a pool of tree species commonly planted in urban settings in Malaysia that have low and medium sensitivity to climate impacts. The results show a maximum reduction of 7 °C between 2000 and 2050, achieved on a street with an NW–SE orientation that was planted with three rows of trees. The minimum UTCI reduction achieved was 3 °C, between 2023 and 2050, in a street with NW–SE orientation that was planted with one tree row. The two streets with a SW–NE orientation showed a 5 °C temperature reduction between 2023 and 2050. Both streets have only one row of trees but different species and sizes, with the bigger trees reducing the temperature in a slightly larger area. The results show the importance of introducing and safeguarding street trees to reduce urban temperatures in the country, potentially keeping temperatures below life-threatening levels, thereby safeguarding urban health, while also reducing costs of energy consumption. Solar orientation, the number of tree rows, and their distribution impact the outcomes. The findings provide useful guidance for climate-conscious urban planning practices in Malaysia.