We are pleased to announce we have integrated a beta version of our new TARGET (The Air-temperature Response to Green/blue infrastructure Evaluation Tool) module into our popular WSC Scenario Tool, and launched it via webinar to participants.

TARGET is a new modelling function that can produce a time series of air temperatures, land surface temperatures and human thermal comfort indicators for any given case study and assess the microclimate impacts. It expands the functionality of our Scenario Tool, a planning support tool that allows users to assess the evolution of urban infrastructure, water networks and population demographics.

Developed by Monash University, Arizona State University and Ghent University for the CRCWSC, TARGET uses a simplified set of modelling algorithms to minimise the computational complexity required for scientifically robust time series of land surface temperature and air temperature for a specified urban context. TARGET harnesses inputs of land cover information and meteorological data for the site location.

TARGET can be used to model urban heat responses to different urban development and green/blue infrastructure scenarios, and urban heat responses to converting surface types (e.g. converting hard surfaces to natural ones or unirrigated to irrigated surfaces).

TARGET offers some significant features:

  • a base level of meteorological data for all of Australia
  • capacity to upload custom data sets for land cover and buildings
  • capability to simulate real life scenarios at the street, precinct, or city scale
  • capability to produce heat mapping outputs for the subject site area including a gridded map denoting the spatial variation of the average air temperature illustrated using a colour gradient
  • modelling of street level air temperature (˚C) at fine spatial scales
  • a step-by-step user guide and tutorials.
Figure 1. Bultje St (Dubbo) – land surface temperatures before tree planting
Figure 2. Bultje St (Dubbo) – land surface temperatures after tree planting

During the webinar launch in late April, a panel of CRCWSC developers and industry users described how TARGET works and how industry can use the results.

Climate scientist from Mosaic Insights, Dr Stephanie Jacobs, praised TARGET’s scope and speed:

‘What’s really exciting about TARGET is it can be used at the street scale, the suburb scale, right up to the city scale. And it’s really fast. You don’t need a supercomputer to run it.’

Mellissa Bradley, CRCWSC SA Regional Manager and Program Manager of Water Sensitive SA, described Adelaide’s urban heat issues and how the modelling results from TARGET will strengthen business cases for WSUD investments, and provide evidence for improved policy and urban design guidelines.

Mellissa said:

‘It usually takes years to adapt planning policies, because we have to wait and see what happens. With TARGET, we can simulate new policies now, to see whether they’re effective. We can road test new planning strategies now, tweak those strategies and policies, and intervene early in our adaptation plans.’

Luke McPhail from Water Technology agreed:

‘TARGET allows us to use the science more effectively and efficiently. The challenge for developers and planners is to bring in data to support the decision making process. TARGET allows us to look at alternative cooling and greening strategies quickly,’ he said.

Mark Siebentritt from Edge Environment rounded out the discussion saying,

‘We’ve recognised the importance of urban heat for many years, but we didn’t know how to embed heat mapping into urban planning. TARGET allows us to move from understanding heat to managing it.

‘TARGET allows us to combine technically rigorous information, engagement with stakeholders and planning aspects, to inform decision making.

‘With TARGET, we can understand the impact of past planning decisions and how they drive urban heat, influence development planning at the precinct scale, and combine technical rigour and background into planning decisions.’

Register for TARGET training

The TAP team regularly offers training on the different modules of the Scenario Tool. The next TARGET training is on 6 May 2020.

We welcome your feedback

We invite industry feedback on the functionality and usefulness of the Scenario Tool and modules, particularly applications of TARGET, and how the results have helped in planning, decision making and business case development. To provide feedback, please submit an enquiry form.

Find out more

Download our TARGET module industry note to read more about TARGET and two case study applications:

  1. our application of TARGET to estimate the economic benefits of urban heat island mitigation due to greening, using a test site on Melbourne’s outskirts
  2. our application of TARGET to evaluate the biophysical impact of an urban greening strategy for an urban streetscape in Dubbo.

The CRCWSC sincerely thanks participants and beta testers for their valuable input into TARGET’s development, and we look forward to more feedback following the tool’s wider use.

For more information about TARGET or the Scenario Tool, contact Dr Christian Urich, Project Leader Tools and Products, at info@crcwsc.org.au or visit the TAP website.

Last updated: 5th May 2020