Micro Campus, Marco Future: Integrating STEAM-based fieldwork and numerical modeling for urban microclimate analytics in Hong Kong

The scorching Urban Heat Island (UHI) impacts have aroused more public concerns. More frequent extreme hot days were recorded under the synergy of climate change and urban development in Hong Kong. To quantify thermal comfort and health threats of high school students who are vulnerable to heat-related illnesses, we applied Geography, Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM)-education initiatives in conducting a measurement campaign across the high schools in Hong Kong to extend the microclimate measurement capability. With the experience of hosting Community Weather Information Network (Co-WIN), the University-Government-School partnership network in Hong Kong, we invited students to participate in school-based fieldwork and collected spatiotemporal data that is accessible to the community with our self-developed low-cost IoT sensors. The dataset was further QAQC checked and post-processed with computational fluid dynamics model - ENVI-met to model the spatiotemporal UHI risks in the community. Our results indicated that spatiotemporal variations largely exist in the school building, with the west-facing side (i.e. corridor at different floors) experiencing up to 6^oC higher temperature than on the basketball court, and the shape of school campus might aggravate the stagnant condition by wind blockage risking heat stroke in the afternoon time. To cope with the threats of heat stroke, we further designed a heat alert system linked to our low-cost sensors, which is found to be feasible and effective in ensuring thermal comfort of students. At the same time, hands-on experience in assembling sensors during the campaign has raised students’ interest in STEAM education and awareness of preventing heat stroke. As such, this study offers alternative solution for policymakers and education practitioners to protect their students from upsurging urban temperatures in the future.