URBAN DENSIFICATION AND LAND SURFACE TEMPERATURE IN KANO METROPOLIS, NIGERIA

Abstract

Urban climates are known to differ from sub-urban or rural climates worldwide, often associated with altering the
environment's natural state. The increases and concentration of populations in the cities of developing countries have increased the densities of built-up spaces, causing a warming up of the urban areas. This transformation of natural environments will continue to make cities prone to marked increases in temperature. Likewise, the rapid urban population growth rate in Kano Metropolis will likely increase this transformation of its natural environment. Therefore, this study investigated the spatial variation in building density around Kano Metropolis and its effect on land surface temperature distribution. The GIS and remote sensing techniques were employed for this study. Data were sourced from Landsat images of 1998, 2002, 2013 and 2018; these were used to derive the Built-up Index (BUI) and Land Surface Temperature (LST) for the study area; a correlation coefficient analysis was then carried out. The result shows a strong positive correlation between the built-up area and land surface temperature, meaning that building density influences temperature distribution in Urban Kano, where increasing building density tends to increase the temperature of a particular location. The study recommends a well-informed and extensive review of the Kano Master Plan to guide appropriate and systematic expansions in developing the urban environment and increasing green infrastructure in the Metropolis.