Abstract
As cities across the globe grapple with rising temperatures, understanding public preferences for urban heat mitigation strategies is vital for building climate-resilient, citizen-centred urban environments. This study investigates Singaporean citizens’ preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for five urban heat mitigation measures—covered sidewalks, urban parks, electric vehicles, shaded plazas, and district cooling—across two contrasting districts: the residential neighbourhood of Punggol and the Central Business District (CBD). Based on a survey of 1870 residents (940 CBD and 930 Punggol), findings reveal a strong public preference for vegetative solutions, particularly covered sidewalks and urban parks, highlighting the perceived value of green infrastructure in mitigating urban heat stress. District-level differences emerged, with Punggol residents favouring shaded plazas and CBD respondents prioritizing district cooling, reflecting diverse urban needs and demographic profiles. WTP analysis demonstrated broad financial support across all five strategies, with the highest WTP observed for electric vehicles in Punggol and shaded plazas in the CBD. An extrapolated estimate suggests a potential annual societal WTP of SGD$102.8 million, underscoring the population’s readiness to invest in urban heat adaptation and sustainable futures. Socio-demographic, psychological, and behavioural predictors—such as age, education, health, presence of children, awareness of urban heat risks, attitudes towards heat mitigation, and outdoor preferences—were significantly associated with higher WTP, reinforcing the importance of targeted communication and socially inclusive engagement strategies. The findings also show that public preferences align closely with neighbourhood characteristics, underscoring the importance of integrating social and spatial dimensions into climate adaptation planning. The study provides critical insights for policymakers, advocating for a blended, place-based approach that combines nature-based and technological solutions, while emphasizing the role of participatory planning. By centring public preferences, this research contributes to the operationalization of urban resilience strategies in the face of escalating climate risks, and supports the development of equitable, adaptive, and sustainable cities.