Enhancing Urban Resilience through Rooftop Revitalization: A Multi-scale Study of Land Surface Temperature and Urban Density in Milan

Rising temperatures and extreme weather events significantly impact urban life, particularly as increasing urbanization exposes more people to these effects. Existing built environments are vulnerable and often not designed to cope with these rapid changes. Enhancing urban resiliency and climate adaptability has become a crucial challenge for city governments. Urban areas usually experience higher temperatures than surrounding rural areas due to the urban heat island (UHI) effect and heat waves. This study explores the relationship between urban density and land surface temperature (LST) in Milan. The analysis was conducted using remote sensing and satellite data to investigate the LST, green infrastructure, and urban density at different scales. On-site surveys complemented the study by providing experiential and sensory knowl-edge of critical spots of the city. The results indicate that high urban density typically leads to higher LST due to high impermeable surfaces, reduced vegetation, and significant heat generation. These outcomes provide new insights into the potential of unexploited rooftops as opportunities to enhance urban resilience and miti-gate urban heat islands. Implementing green and blue roofs can reduce surface temperatures, increase insulation, and decrease heat absorption. Moreover, rooftops can be redefined as new urban spaces integrating multiple— public and private—uses, including residential, commercial, cultural, and social functions, within a single building. These mixed-use development strategies reduce the city’s energy consumption and resources, mobilize latent spatial capital, and address socio-spatial inequalities.