Andorra Launches Sensor Network to Monitor Urban Heat Islands in Escaldes-Engordany

A network of sensors installed across Escaldes-Engordany during February and March is now operational to monitor urban microclimates and quantify heat island effects, as part of the RefredAnd pilot project led by Andorra Recerca+Innovació (AR+I).

Supported by the local Comú and funded through a 2025 Temàtica Andorrana grant from the Research Department in the Ministry of Institutional Relations, Education and Universities, the sensors collect hourly data on temperature and humidity. This will enable analysis of spatial and temporal patterns in urban heat islands, identification of contributing factors, and proposals for mitigation measures in mountain urban areas.

The project targets Escaldes-Engordany as its test site, where intensive urban development and population growth have created warmer city-center conditions—potentially up to 10ºC higher than nearby rural or suburban zones. Climate-driven temperature rises could widen these gaps, posing risks to ecosystems and public health.

Studies of urban heat islands in mountainous regions remain limited due to complex terrain, variable microclimates, and lower population densities elsewhere. Andorra's position as the Pyrenees' most densely populated area offers an ideal setting for such research, AR+I notes.

Once the project concludes, the sensors will continue gathering data to support long-term monitoring of these temperature variations.