A GIS-based approach to microclimate monitoring in Singapore's high- rise housing estates

Surface temperature data of urban areas derived from satellite thermal sensors are under-utilized in planning applications due to the inability to demonstrate meaningful relationships between the satellite-derived data and the urban microclimate. The study uses GIS operations to demonstrate such relationships for high rise housing estates in a tropical city where climate control is of paramount importance. While noting the limitations of the data for obtaining absolute quantitative values for ambient air temperature, the study suggests specific planning contexts in which image-derived values can be input into planning models. -from Author