Urban Heat Island and Household Energy Consumption in Bangkok, Thailand

Abstract

This study focuses on the urban heat island (UHI) development and its impact on household energy consumption. Hourly air temperature data were used to study the characteristics and intensities of UHI in Bangkok area. A survey questionnaire of 400 randomly selected respondents is conducted to explain the relationship between UHI intensity and household energy consumption. Cooling Degree Days (CDD) index was used to establish the correlation between UHI and energy consumption. The result indicates that the presence of UHI in Bangkok plays a significant role in residential energy use, directly and indirectly. UHI is found to have association with the air conditioning equipment in Bangkok and increase the monthly electricity bill. Energy consumption is found to have positive association with CDD, which implies that UHI have significant influence on the household energy consumption. The study concludes that combining the concept of UHI mitigation and adaptation planning and energy-efficient housing design will contribute to better solutions for creating a more energy-efficient city.