review · Human Settlements and Sustainability
Rapid urbanisation in Southeast Asia has intensified the urban heat island effect, prompting assessments of various cooling methods. A systematic analysis of 27 studies reveals that green infrastructure, such as urban forests, green roofs, and street-tree networks, is the most effective approach in dense cities like Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. These measures lower air temperatures by up to 2.6°C and surface temperatures by up to 11°C. Engineered alternatives, including high-albedo coatings and permeable pavements, reduce surface temperatures by 4 to 9 K and provide stormwater control, though tropical humidity, glare, and maintenance complicate their deployment. In informal settlements, low-cost community-led initiatives such as simple shade structures and vegetation show practical value. However, widespread adoption faces obstacles, including high expenses, restricted space, and fragmented governance, resulting in fewer than 20 percent of regional cities including heat mitigation in formal urban planning.
Rising urban temperatures threaten human health, raise energy demands, and worsen living conditions in dense tropical areas. Understanding which cooling methods work best allows city authorities and planners to target investments effectively. Combining nature-based options with engineered materials can create cooler, more resilient urban environments while delivering additional benefits like flood control.
The findings inform urban planning authorities, municipal agencies, and civil engineering firms designing climate-resilient developments. The underlying technologies, such as permeable pavements, reflective coatings, and green roofing systems, are applied and tested in cities like Singapore, but broad adoption requires further integrated trials of hybrid solutions and clearer cost-benefit models covering energy and health impacts.
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This systematic review synthesizes 27 peer-reviewed studies (2020–2023) on urban heat island (UHI) mitigation in Southeast Asia, focusing on cooling effectiveness and implementation feasibility. In dense cities like Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, green infrastructure—urban forests, green roofs, and street-tree networks—proves most effective, reducing air temperatures by up to 2.6°C and surface temperatures by 11°C. Engineered solutions, such as high-albedo coatings and permeable pavements, offer 4–9 K of surface cooling and added benefits like stormwater control, though tropical humidity, glare, and maintenance pose challenges. Informal settlements demonstrate the value of low-cost, community-led cooling efforts using shade structures and vegetation. Despite these benefits, barriers persist: high costs, limited urban land, and fragmented governance systems hamper the scalability of hybrid green-grey solutions. Evaporation-based strategies are further constrained by complex urban geometries and monsoonal climates. Fewer than 20% of Southeast Asian cities incorporate UHI mitigation into formal planning frameworks, limiting systemic uptake. To advance climate-resilient urbanism, interdisciplinary collaboration is needed. Future priorities should include long-term monitoring in tropical climates, integrated trials of hybrid interventions, and cost–benefit models that capture health, energy, and flood resilience co-benefits. Embedding these approaches into planning systems, as seen in Bangkok’s zoning reforms and Singapore’s Green Mark, is key to sustainable adaptation. • The systematic review on urban heat islands (UHIs) mitigation has been conducted. • Green infrastructure most effectively reduces urban heat and cost-effective solution. • UHI mitigation emphasizing interdisciplinary, international, sustainable approaches. • Emphasized important strategies for mitigating UHI effects. • High costs and weak policy hinder UHI mitigation efforts.
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DOI: 10.1016/j.hssust.2025.05.002
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