Efecto de los usos y las cubiertas del suelo y las políticas ambientales en el comportamiento de las temperaturas superficiales en campus universitarios: El caso de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

Temperature management, which is crucial in the context of climate change, has been a focal point of urban policies, while peri-urban spaces such as university campuses have often been overlooked. Through remote sensing and statistical analysis, this article explores the impact of land/cover use and environmental policies on the spatial behaviour of surface temperatures on the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona campus between 2014 and 2022. A direct relationship between developed and bare land uses with above-average thermal anomalies was identified, while areas covered with natural vegetation are linked to lower-than-average surface temperatures, thus highlighting critical areas that have been overlooked in the university’s environmental agenda. This article suggests mitigation strategies to enhance environmental policies and improve thermal comfort for the university community.