Integrating Source-Sink Theory and Road Pavement Solar Collectors for Urban Climate Resilience

This chapter offers a novel planning tool that diagnoses urban heat sources and prescribes a specific technology to convert them into energy assets. The Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect—one of the most evident consequences of climate change and urbanization—refers to the accumulation of heat in metropolitan areas due to human activities, built surfaces, and energy use. This phenomenon intensifies cooling energy demand, exacerbates air pollution, increases health risks, and reduces thermal comfort in cities. Because conventional urban design strategies are often insufficient to address the complex and multi-scalar dynamics of UHI, there is an urgent need for innovative and interdisciplinary approaches. This chapter introduces an integrated framework that combines Source–Sink Theory with Road Pavement Solar Collector (RPSC) systems to promote urban climate resilience. According to the source-sink theory, cities are dynamic thermal systems in which green and blue infrastructure serve as sinks to absorb and release excess energy, while built-up regions serve as sources of heat. Simultaneously, RPSC systems provide renewable energy for local uses like district heating or ventilation while lowering pavement surface temperatures by absorbing solar heat from road surfaces and transforming it into useful thermal or electrical energy. This chapter suggests a dual-purpose approach to reducing urban overheating and promoting sustainable energy recovery by combining these two paradigms. To assess and maximize urban thermal balance, the methodological framework combines computer modeling (CFD), LCZ-based source-sink mapping, and geospatial analysis. The results emphasize that coupling Source–Sink Theory with RPSC technology can reduce carbon footprints, improve thermal comfort, and strengthen the resilience of urban environments in the face of global climate challenges.