Vulnerability assessment and categorization against heat waves for the Bilbao historic area

Climate change is threatening urban cultural heritage's preservation and survival. To improve the resilience of urban systems, planning decision-making processes must consider the risks that climate change poses to heritage. Nevertheless, despite the extensive body of research on climate-related hazards, there remains a significant knowledge deficiency related to the assessment of risks that considers heat waves and historic urban sites. This study's primary objective is to use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data to analyse how historic urban locations and heat waves interact, as both urban systems and heritage areas. Socioeconomic, cultural, governmental, and physical aspects of the system are considered for a holistic approach. Key performance in-dicators, criteria, and requirements pertaining to key vulnerabilities of historic urban areas are identified to undertake a vulnerability assessment methodology, and appraised using the MIVES methodology, a Multi Criteria Decision Making Methodology (MCDM), to achieve this goal. Additionally, a reduced and data-constrained evaluation is provided through a categorization, for both buildings and public spaces. The catego-rization process and complete methodology are discussed along with the results of its application to a GIS-based model in Bilbao's historic district (Basque Country, Spain). This study seeks to be reproducible and be a tool for future global studies.

Automated summary

Climate change poses risks to the preservation and survival of urban cultural heritage, and planning decisions must consider these risks. However, there is a lack of knowledge in assessing risks related to heat waves and historic urban sites. This study aims to analyze the interaction between historic urban locations and heat waves using GIS data, considering socioeconomic, cultural, governmental, and physical aspects. Key vulnerabilities of historic urban areas are identified and assessed using a Multi Criteria Decision Making Methodology (MCDM) to achieve the goal of vulnerability assessment. The study also provides a simplified evaluation through categorization for buildings and public spaces, and discusses its application to a GIS-based model in Bilbao's historic district.