New Study Examines Urban Vacant Land, Abandoned Properties, and Heat Risk in Houston

GEAR Lab is pleased to share a new publication in Climate by Dingding Ren, Galen Newman, Robert D. Brown, Dongying Li, and Lei Zou.

The paper, titled “Determining the Impact of Urban Vacant and Abandoned Land on Land Surface Temperatures in Socially Vulnerable Communities in Houston,” investigates how different forms of vacant and abandoned urban land relate to land surface temperature in socially vulnerable neighborhoods. Focusing on Houston, Texas, the study combines spatial analysis, satellite-derived land surface temperature data, and drone-based thermal imagery to examine heat exposure at both neighborhood and site scales.

The research highlights an important environmental justice challenge: urban heat does not affect all communities equally. In areas with higher social vulnerability, vacant parcels, abandoned structures, impervious surfaces, and limited vegetation can shape local heat conditions in ways that affect public health, comfort, and climate resilience. The study finds that vegetated vacant spaces may help reduce land surface temperatures, while abandoned structures and heat-retaining surfaces can contribute to higher local temperatures.

By linking urban vacancy, social vulnerability, and heat exposure, this work provides useful insights for planners, researchers, and community partners seeking more equitable climate adaptation strategies. The findings point to the value of land reuse, green infrastructure, tree planting, and community-informed site planning as practical approaches for reducing urban heat in vulnerable neighborhoods.

Congratulations to the authors on this important contribution to urban climate research, environmental equity, and resilience planning.

CitationRen, D., Newman, G., Brown, R. D., Li, D., & Zou, L. (2026). Determining the Impact of Urban Vacant and Abandoned Land on Land Surface Temperatures in Socially Vulnerable Communities in Houston. Climate, 14(4), 78. https://doi.org/10.3390/cli14040078