Horst Complex

dr.ir. M. Pena Acosta (Monica)

Assistant Professor
ET-CEM-MD
Horst Complex Z232
m.penaacosta@utwente.nl
+31534891795
Business card

My research focuses on understanding and mitigating urban heat at the street level using urban sensing, GIS, and machine learning.

I analyse how urban form, infrastructure, and environmental conditions interact to shape microclimate dynamics and temperature variability within cities, with particular attention to streets, pavements, and built environments.

My work integrates data collection, modelling, and application, developing scalable approaches that translate urban climate data into actionable guidance for climate-resilient infrastructure design and urban planning.

Expertise

  • Earth and Planetary Sciences

    • Urban Heat Island Effect
    • Air Temperature
    • Spain
    • Netherlands
    • Thermal Imaging
    • Seasonality

  • Engineering

    • Historical Building
    • Thermal Behavior

Organisations

Publications

2026

5th 4TU/14UAS Research Day on Digitalization of the Built Environment Proceedings (2026)[Book/Report › Book] 5th 4TU-14UAS Research Day on Digitalization of the Built Environment. University of Twente. olde Scholtenhuis, L., Pena Acosta, M., ter Huurne, R. & Slangewal, L.https://doi.org/10.3990/1.569131469

2025

Analysis of the Urban Microclimate in the Historic Center of Malaga: Mitigation Strategies Adapted to the Mediterranean Climate (2025)[Contribution to conference › Abstract] 12th International Conference on Urban Climate, ICUC 2025. Forestieri, G., Pena Acosta, M., Jato-Espino, D. & Tomatis, F.Street-level surface and air temperatures in the Urban Center of Málaga, Spain (2025)Urban Climate, 61. Article 102490. Jato-Espino, D., Tomatis, F., Forestieri, G. & Pena Acosta, M.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.uclim.2025.102490Thermal Data from Málaga's historical centre: Surface and Air Temperature Measurements Captured via Mobile Station and Thermal Imaging (2025)Data in brief, 58. Article 111274. Forestieri, G., Tomatis, F., Jato-Espino, D. & Pena Acosta, M.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2025.111274

2024

Thermal Data from Málaga: Surface and Air Temperature via Mobile Station & Imaging (2024)[Dataset Types › Dataset]. 4TU.Centre for Research Data. Pena Acosta, M.https://doi.org/10.4121/20167a4c-b51c-422c-a30d-7580acc3125bUHI Street Typology Based on Seasonality: A Case Study from Apeldoorn, Netherlands (2024)ISPRS Annals of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, 10(4/W5-2024), 255-261. Pena Acosta, M., Santos, J., Vahdatikhaki, F. & Dorée, A. G.https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-annals-X-4-W5-2024-255-2024Data-driven Analysis of Urban Heat Island Phenomenon Based on Street Typology (2024)Sustainable Cities and Society, 101. Article 105170. Pena Acosta, M., Vahdatikhaki, F., Santos, J., Jarro, S. P. & Doree, A.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2023.105170

2023

A comparative analysis of surface and canopy layer urban heat island at the micro level using a data-driven approach (2023)Sustainable Cities and Society, 99. Article 104944. Pena Acosta, M., Vahdatikhaki, F., Santos, J. & Dorée, A. G.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2023.104944Demystifying the urban heat island phenomenon: A data-driven approach (2023)[Thesis › PhD Thesis - Research UT, graduation UT]. University of Twente. Pena Acosta, M.https://doi.org/10.3990/1.9789036558730A comprehensive generalizability assessment of data-driven Urban Heat Island (UHI) models (2023)Sustainable Cities and Society, 96. Article 104701. Pena Acosta, M., Dikkers, M., Vahdatikhaki, F., Santos, J. & Dorée, A. G.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2023.104701

Research profiles

Address

University of Twente

Horst Complex (building no. 20), room Z232
De Horst 2
7522 LW Enschede
Netherlands

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