The use of local climate zones in the urban environment: A systematic review of data sources, methods, and themes

The concept of local climate zones (LCZ) has emerged to identify the nature of urban climate, air quality, and temperature at local levels. Thus, this study reviews the literature on methodologies and data sources used in LCZs empirical research and identifies recurrent themes. A systematic review was conducted using bibliometric analysis and the PRISMA framework. Web of Science and Scopus databases were used to extract relevant datasets, and records were screened and extracted. Descriptive analyses reveal that most LCZ empirical research has been done on Chinese cities. Numerous data sources and analytical methods have been used, but Landsat and WUDAPT methodology is generally favored in the LCZ research due to its simplicity and freely available global datasets. Similarly, the review also shows that various software and methodologies are available to identify climate-sensitive areas of urban settlements with varying functionalities, accuracy, and visualizations. The thematic analysis indicates that the LCZ framework and its associated processes are being used in crosscutting phenomena such as thermal comfort, urban planning, climate change adaptation, and energy use. The review also suggests incorporating institutional and social aspects in local climate zones. LCZs can integrate the philosophies of climate change adaptation, urban resilience, and sustainability.