Evaluation of the influence of vegetation as a strategy for mitigating heat islands in urban street

Abstract

The presence of vegetation in urban spaces plays a fundamental role in creating more pleasant and thermally comfortable environments, especially in tropical cities like Vitória, Espírito Santo. This study, derived from a scientific initiation project, analyzed the impact of vegetation along Avenida Rio Branco, an important avenue in the state capital, aiming to understand how natural shading interferes with the formation of urban heat islands and mitigates their effects. Measurements were taken on March 13, 2025, at four distinct points along the avenue, with various pavement compositions, vegetation cover, and shading, at four different times of the day. Air temperature, globe temperature, wind speed, and relative humidity records were collected. To authenticate the approach, an initial inspection of the obtained data was employed, and preliminary findings indicate that the presence and density of vegetation in the environment contribute to the attenuation of radiated temperatures, providing a greater sense of thermal well-being to users. These results suggest that vegetation can be used as an effective means to mitigate urban heat islands.