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Understanding heat‐related impacts is crucial to improving public awareness of addressing urban heat challenges and enabling decision makers to mainstream heat action plans. This study explores heat‐related physiological and psychological impacts, symptoms, and demographic determinants based on 4210 questionnaires across nine large Chinese cities, including Chengdu, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Nanchang, Nanjing, Shanghai, Shenyang, and Xi'an in August 2020. The results indicate that heat‐related psychological impacts are equally severe as physiological impacts. Chongqing is under the most severe heat‐related health impact on both the physiological and psychological aspects. Skin heat damage (SKI), digestive system illnesses (DIG), respiratory illnesses (RES), and cardiovascular illnesses (CAR) are prominent physiological illnesses in all cities, while emotional irritability (EMO), easy to lose control temper (EAS), low mood (LOW), and insomnia (INS) are prominent psychological symptoms. Chongqing and Guangzhou are the most vulnerable cities in terms of physiological and psychological symptoms. Chengdu, Hangzhou, Nanjing, and Shanghai are more resilient in terms of physiological symptoms, whereas Chengdu, Hangzhou, and Shanghai are more resistant to psychological symptoms. Heat‐related health impacts, symptoms, and demographic determinants are spatially heterogeneous. The elderly and patients are more vulnerable, while such a conclusion is not always true. The spatial heterogeneity of heat‐related physiological and psychological impacts, symptoms, and drivers highlights the significance of developing city‐specific heat health action plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This study investigated the cooling performance of prefabricated green roofs. • Pomegranate generally had the best cooling and humidifying effects. • Watering affected, but in short-term, the diurnal near-surface thermal performance of green roofs. • Cooling performance of Bermuda and Sedum varied with cloudiness. • Prefabricated green roofs should be developed. Urban temperature increase is a critical problem for many cities. Green roofing is an approach to mitigating urban temperature increase, while the maintenance of the green roof for stable cooling potential has been less studied. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the cooling performance of prefabricated green roof for maintenance purposes. Focusing on the cooling and humidifying performance of the green roof, this study is to understand the influence of (i) vegetation species, (ii) weather condition and (iii) watering. This study was experimentally performed in the subtropical city of Hangzhou, China in the summer season, with three local vegetation species including Pomegranate , Bermuda grass and Sedum lineare. Results indicate that under sunny conditions, the Pomegranate roof was favourable with the best diurnal cooling and humidifying effects, the Bermuda grass roof could be acceptable while the Sedum lineare roof is not suggested. In comparison, all green roofs could maintain diurnal cooling and humidifying effects under cloudy conditions. Watering is critical to green roof cooling and humidifying effects. Without watering, all green roofs could elevate air temperature and dry surrounding environment and could die. The Pomegranate should be watered before 15:00 under sunny condition, while both Bermuda grass and Sedum lineare roofs should be watered before noon. Moreover, nocturnal watering makes slight differences to green roof cooling and humidifying effects. Overall, this study helps understand the green roof cooling and humidifying effects and it can instruct green roof management and maintenance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China, self-claimed vegetable lots are emerging in urban communities through the appropriation of public green lands, a paralleled 'guerrilla gardening' phenomenon. However, disputes and conflicts arise due to the contested method of garden acquisition. Moreover, these gardens are rather stigmatised due to the urban-biased regulations embedded in China's aggressive urbanisation agenda, indicating the gap between grassroots spatial demand and top-down regulations. Using the case of Hangzhou, this paper aims to understand the governance challenges of self-claimed gardens in urban China through stakeholder interviews and survey. Findings reveal that the attitudes, interests and influences of gardeners, non-gardeners and community officials contribute to a cyclical spatial transformation between green land and gardens. The stigmatisation of and conflicts around gardens result from both an unfair stereotype of 'uncivilised behaviour' and inconsiderate ways of growing vegetables. The case study has also demonstrated that gardens have provided benefits in setting up social ties and strengthening a sense of community in China's high-density built environment. The governance structure of gardens should be shifted with the help of planning system refinement to de-stigmatise and legitimise gardening and increase the promising possibility of gardens becoming a new dawn for the public realm. • The appropriation of community open spaces by gardening activists in urban China has triggered community conflicts. • Gardens are stigmatised due to an anti-garden bias and disputes mainly resulted from inconsiderate methods of gardening. • Gardens help set up social ties between gardeners within the community. • Non-gardeners do not necessarily object to gardening but instead show strong interest in further participation. • More collaborative and inclusive community governance is advocated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]