# The Effect of Green Areas on Urban Microclimate: A University Campus Model Case
## 2 Materials and Methods  
This study was conducted within the boundaries of Recep Tayyip Erdogan University Zihni Derin Campus, located in Rize, Turkey (Figure 1). The campus provides a suitable environment for examining surface temperature variations due to its diverse topographic structure, varying levels of land use intensity, and the presence of different types of vegetative areas. Within the scope of the study, locations dominated by different types of green spaces, including broad-leaved trees, coniferous trees, shrubs, and ivy, were selected. The locations had broad-leaved plants (_Salix babylonica--Prunus serrulata--Cercis siliquastrum_), Coniferous Plants (_Thuja accidentalis--Cedrus deodora--Juniperus chinensis_), shrubs (_Nandra domestica--Elaagmus pungens--Grevilla rosmarinfolia_), and ivies, (_Hedera helix--Hedera hibernica--Hedera helix_). Although the study area, Recep Tayyip Erdogan University Zihni Derin Campus, may appear geographically specific, its selection is methodologically and climatically justified. Located in Rize, the campus resides within a humid subtropical climate zone characterized by high precipitation, moderate temperatures, and rich vegetation diversity--conditions comparable to other urban settings that experience thermal stress due to climate change. Moreover, the campus includes a range of green typologies (broadleaved trees, conifers, shrubs, ivy), topographic variability, and user activity patterns, which provide a suitable context for investigating vegetation-climate interactions under realistic conditions [63; 64]. Previous studies have shown that green infrastructure implementations in diverse climate zones, such as Bangkok and Addis Ababa, can significantly reduce surface temperatures and improve urban comfort, highlighting the transferability of such research findings [54; 65]. University campuses, widely used in landscape and ecological  
Figure 1: Location map of the study area. planning studies, serve as controlled yet dynamic urban environments, offering valuable data on vegetation-climate interactions [66; 67]. Hence, the selected study area provides both accessibility and ecological relevance, making it an appropriate model for broader applications in urban green infrastructure planning. To ensure methodological consistency and environmental representativeness, a purposive sampling strategy was adopted to select the vegetated areas within the campus. Each green area type (broadleaved trees, conifers, shrubs, and ivy) was chosen based on distinct structural and physiological features, such as canopy density, height, and coverage area. The measurement locations were selected to capture a range of microclimatic conditions, including shaded, semi-shaded, and sun-exposed zones, thereby enabling comparative evaluation of their thermal regulation effects. Additionally, sampling sites were distributed across varying elevations and orientations to reflect the topographical diversity of the campus. This stratified approach allowed the study to assess how specific plant groups influence AT under different spatial and temporal contexts. The repeated measurement design and standardized device calibration ensured data reliability and reproducibility across all sampling periods. The effects of different types of green spaces, including broad-leaved trees, conifers, shrubs, and ivy, on surface temperatures are being examined. The selected areas were determined in a way that ensures consistency in environmental variables such as shading, wind effects, and distance from buildings. An infrared thermometer (Testo 830-T2 (Testo, Titisee-Neustadt, Germany) and accuracy: \(\pm\)1.5 \({}^{\circ}\)C (between 0 and 500 \({}^{\circ}\)C)) was used to measure surface and ambient temperatures. This device utilizes infrared (IR) sensing technology to perform non-contact measurements, accurately determining surface temperature.