Potential tree planting locations for Austin, Texas to reduce heat stress

This is a companion dataset for the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) over Austin, Texas [ https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10870068 ]

1. Dataset description 

This dataset uses the Mean Radiant Temperature (TMRT) calculated using the the SOLWEIG model (Lindberg et al., 2018) to optimize tree planting locations in Austin, Texas using the tree planter tool (Wallenberg et al., 2022). Only the public space was used in optimization and 250 trees were optimally located within 1-mile buffer zones. Followin the City of Austin guidelines, the height and crown diameters of the optimized trees were both ~6 meters and tree trunk zone height was ~2 meters above ground. The trees were optimized for a typical clear-sky weather during Fall season.   

2. Data availiablity 

Data is available for entire Austin, Texas except a few neighborhoods.

3. Data format

The data is available in ESRI shapefile (.shp). Each point represents a potential tree planting location.

References 

Lindberg, F., Holmer, B., & Thorsson, S. (2008). SOLWEIG 1.0–Modelling spatial variations of 3D radiant fluxes and mean radiant temperature in complex urban settings. International journal of biometeorology, 52, 697-713.

Wallenberg, N., Lindberg, F., & Rayner, D. (2022). Locating trees to mitigate outdoor radiant load of humans in urban areas using a metaheuristic hill-climbing algorithm–introducing TreePlanter v1. 0. Geoscientific Model Development, 15(3), 1107-1128.