Mapping the Heat
Coppell, Texas • Summer Study

High-Resolution Thermal Mapping for Urban Heat Mitigation Insights

I engineered a portable IR sensing rig with an Arduino, measured surface temperatures at 10 mapped locations, and analyzed how materials amplify heat versus ambient air at 8:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and 8:00 PM.

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Portable IR sensing rig on 3D-printed base
Overview

Purpose & Scope

This project quantifies micro-scale Urban Heat Island effects by comparing air temperature with surface temperatures across diverse materials: grass, asphalt, concrete, shaded asphalt, driveway, tree bark, metal grate, brick patio, roof tile, and wet surface.

Objectives

  • Identify neighborhood hotspots and cooling opportunities.
  • Build a reproducible, low-cost sensing platform and open dataset.
  • Share actionable recommendations with community.
Methodology

How the Study Was Conducted

  1. Site Selection: 10 neighborhood locations spanning vegetation, pavement, structures, and metal/wet surfaces.
  2. Schedule: Three timepoints (08:00, 14:00, 20:00) over June–July for two summers.
  3. Measurements: Air temperature reference + per-spot surface temperature.
  4. Processing: Data cleaning, per-spot trend charts, combined comparison, summary statistics, and material grouping.
  5. Visualization: Tables, charts, and final recommendations.
Hardware

Build & Electronics

Core Components

  • Arduino Uno
  • MLX90614 IR Sensor
  • OLED Display (SSD1306, I²C)
  • Half-size breadboard & jumper wires
  • Portable power (9V barrel jack)

Wiring Summary

I²C: MLX90614 + OLED share SDA→A4, SCL→A5. Power VCC→5V (or 3.3V per module), GND→GND.

Power: 9V via barrel jack to onboard regulator (field use), USB for bench testing.

Wiring diagram placeholder

Enclosure & Mount

All components are mounted on a 3D-printed base using super glue for clean routing and serviceability. Sensor lens faces forward without obstruction.

Dataset

Download & Preview

Two summers (June–July), 16 weeks, 3 timepoints/day across 10 spots. Includes per-spot charts, combined comparison, summary statistics, and material-group averages.

Download Excel Open in Google Sheets

Sample Spot Trend

Spot trend chart

Season Comparison

Season comparison chart
Results

Key Patterns & Quantitative Findings

Seasonal Comparison

Based on the 2:00 PM averages in the Seasonal Comparison chart, 2025 temperatures trend slightly lower than 2024 across most spots. All narrative and takeaways below reflect this updated finding.

Material Ranking (Hot → Cool)

At peak (2 PM), materials typically rank: metal grate ≈ roof tile ≥ asphalt ≥ brick patio ≥ driveway ≥ concrete ≥ shaded asphalt ≥ tree bark ≥ grass ≥ wet surface. The exact order varies day-to-day, but metals and dark roofs consistently occupy the top tier.

Shade Impact

Shaded asphalt runs about 5–10 °F cooler than sun-exposed asphalt at 2 PM, aligning with expected reductions from radiative shading. Morning and evening gaps narrow to ~2–5 °F.

Vegetation Buffer

Grass and tree bark remain the most stable and coolest surfaces, typically 1–6 °F above air even at peak heat, indicating lower heat capacity/retention compared to built materials.

Diurnal Pattern

Across all surfaces, temperatures rise from morning to afternoon and partially recover by evening. The asphalt and roof tile curves exhibit the largest midday spikes (+12–20 °F over air), while vegetation shows the smallest amplitude (+1–6 °F).

Variability & Outliers

Metal grates show the most variability under clear skies (specular heating + airflow), occasionally exceeding typical pavement peaks. Wet surfaces track closer to air temperature, especially post-irrigation or rainfall.

Takeaways Linked to Mitigation

  • Target hotspots: unshaded asphalt, driveways, roof tiles, and metal grates.
  • Prioritize shade where people walk/play; expect ~5–10 °F reductions on dark pavements at peak.
  • Lighten surfaces (coatings/materials) to cut mid-day spikes by ~5–8 °F on average.
  • Expand vegetation and permeable/wettable areas to buffer extremes and evening residual heat.
Conclusions

Practical Recommendations

Recommendations

  • Focus on unshaded pavements and roofs for near-term cooling wins.
  • Deploy shade (trees, sails) in routes with high afternoon use.
  • Adopt high-albedo materials/coatings for driveways and patios.
  • Increase vegetation/permeable surfaces to reduce heat storage and evening warmth.

Neighborhood Map (10 Spots)

Interactive Google My Map. Open in new tab.
About

Project & Credits

This project focused on mechanical engineering and environmental tech. I designed and built the device, conducted the study, and created the analysis and this website. All source files and data are available on request.

📄 Download Methods PDF
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