Title： Water-Energy-Climate Nexus in the Urban Environment
Lecturer： Assistant Prof. Jiachuan Yang
（Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering， The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology）
Inviter： Prof. Ning Zhang
Time： 10:00 AM Jun 25, 2019
Venue： Lecture Hall D103, School of Atmospheric Sciences, Xianlin Campus
Abstract： The higher temperature in cities compared to their rural surroundings, known as the urban heat island (UHI) effect, is one severe anthropogenic modification that significantly impairs multi-sector sustainability of the urban environment. Many cities have invested vast resources to counteract adverse environmental impacts of UHIs, yet a sustainable blueprint requires an intricate balance between energy, water and climate. Experimental and numerical approaches are combined to advance the understanding of urban microclimate and its relation with the regional hydroclimate. The effectiveness and efficiency of different strategies for mitigating urban heat islands, including the use of engineering materials and urban green infrastructure elements, have been assessed at a variety of scales. This presentation demonstrates the impact of urban adaptation/mitigation policy on complex water-energy-climate nexus associated with social, economic, and environmental components. The environmental benefits of different measures are found to exhibit strong variations with geo-climatic conditions, intervention scale, and urban morphology. Smart city development should be prompted at a city-by-city basis to manage challenges posed to the local environment under global change. In addition, cities might need to work with surrounding areas to ensure successful and efficient development plans.
Biography: Dr. Jiachuan Yang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. He conducted his PhD study at Arizona State University and postdoctoral research at Princeton university. His research focuses on urban microclimate, hydrometeorological modeling, land-atmosphere interaction and turbulence. He has published 25 peer-reviewed journal papers and served as a reviewer for more than 30 prestigious international journals. His contribution has been acknowledged by the Yuxiang Young Scholar Award by the Chinese American Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, and the National Award for Outstanding Chinese Students Abroad from China Scholarship Council.