Heat Islands and School Microclimates: A Practical Guide with P-Bit

The Urban Heat Island (UHI) phenomenon isn't just theory from Geography or Environmental Science textbooks. It happens daily just a few metres from the classroom: the temperature difference between the concrete of the school playground and a landscaped or tree-covered area can easily exceed 4°C or 5°C during the midday hours.

In this article, we explain how to turn the school playground into a living laboratory where students use the P-Bit · Environmental mini-computer to measure, analyse, and propose nature-based solutions.

1. The Pedagogical Challenge: From Hypothesis to Real Data

When we explain climate change and urban warming in purely abstract terms, we risk generating eco-anxiety in students. Introducing portable IoT sensors changes the approach entirely:

• Research question: Why is the asphalt play area noticeably hotter than the shade of the trees in the playground?
• Variables to measure: Air temperature (°C), surface temperature with an external DS18B20 probe, relative humidity (%), and solar radiation (Lux).
• Tool: P-Bit with a portable battery connected to the TFT screen in real time.

2. Step-by-Step Fieldwork

Step 1: Setting Up the Measurement Stations

Divide the class into groups of 3 or 4 students. Each team assigns a P-Bit to a specific area of the school:

1. Station A: Centre of the concrete/asphalt playground exposed to direct sun.
2. Station B: Under the canopy of a tree or vegetation pergola.
3. Station C: Inside a south-facing classroom.
4. Station D: Landscaped area or school garden.

Step 2: Recording Data On-Screen

Thanks to the P-Bit's built-in TFT screen, students see the values instantly without needing to connect any cables. Each group notes down the readings from its station to compare them later in class. Data Dashboard, for seeing every group's data at once on the projector, is in development.

3. Expected Results and Conclusions

By consolidating the measurements in a shared table, students observe direct scientific correlations:

• Evapotranspiration: Areas with vegetated soil not only record lower temperatures but also consistently higher relative humidity.
• Thermal inertia: Dark surfaces (asphalt) retain heat for hours, slowing down nighttime cooling.

4. From Research to Action: Proposals for the School

The project culminates in a proposal phase. Students use the collected data to draft a formal proposal to the school leadership or the local council:

• Installing green awnings or vertical gardens on exposed facades.
• Replacing impermeable pavement with grass or permeable paving.
• Creating school gardens to moderate the surrounding temperature.

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