Campus as a Living Lab: Using the BEAM Framework and Digital Twin to Address Urban Microclimate Challenges

The rising urban heat island (UHI) effect poses significant challenges for cities, intensifying the need for effective mitigation strategies to safeguard public health, comfort, and environmental sustainability. This paper presents an overarching framework developed through the BEAM (Baselining - Evaluating - Action - Monitoring) initiative, aimed at guiding policy makers and practitioners in understanding and mitigating UHI impacts. Leveraging the on the campus as a living laboratory concept, the BEAM initiative demonstrates an evidence-based approach to microclimate assessment and UHI mitigation to enhance outdoor thermal comfort for campus community. Working closely with campus infrastructure management, this initiative forms a core component of the campus’s long-term sustainability road map, which one of the key aims is to focus mitigating heat island effects and improving outdoor thermal comfort.

The framework covers the multi-stage process of UHI mitigation, from baseline assessments to advanced sensing setups, simulation techniques, and integration of digital twin platforms for data visualization and analysis. The initial baselining stage establishes environmental conditions and identifies critical metrics, setting the foundation for targeted interventions. It progresses through a structured microclimate sensing setup and placements, followed by simulations that model UHI scenarios and test interventions. The mitigation stage offers guidance on strategies such as vegetation cover and cool surfaces, alongside considerations for deployment and trade-offs. Finally, the digital twin platform enables real-time data integration, visualizations, and public engagement.

Insights from the BEAM project illustrate the adaptability of this framework across diverse urban environments, addressing challenges like data interoperability and scalability. This structured approach serves as a resource for researchers, urban planners, and policymakers, supporting the broader goal of resilient, climate-responsive urban landscapes.