Urban Surface

Urban surfaces control local albedo, heat storage, roughness, and moisture exchange, and are therefore central to urban climate behavior.

Compared with vegetated surfaces, built materials often store more heat during the day and release it more slowly at night, which amplifies nocturnal warming.

Surface composition also changes runoff, shading, and aerodynamic drag, so it shapes both thermal and hydrological responses in cities.

See also: urban atmosphere, urban meteorology, urban climate