As temperatures in many areas hit record highs this summer, cities around the world are turning to creative solutions to cope with urban heat gain, according to a Fast Company report.
The city of Arnhem in the Netherlands is rethinking its road system, looking for opportunities to reduce paved areas. The city is evaluating which roads are underused with the idea of shrinking traffic lanes and replanting these areas with greenery. This would reduce the “heat island” effect.
Abu Dhabi is testing features to make being outside more comfortable in extreme heat. In one park, the United Arab Emirates city has installed shades that roll back at night to let hot air escape, along with strategically placed walls that help channel breezes, shade benches, and misting devices.
A few cities are looking to plant new trees in strategic locations. Dallas and Phoenix will add trees to paths that students use to walk to school. Medellin, Colombia, now has a network of 30 corridors planted with thousands of trees to walk and bike across the city more comfortably.
Some cities have focused efforts on the less fortunate. Phoenix has been providing homeless people with free rides to cooling centers. New York City offers free white paint coatings for roofs on some buildings, including low-income housing.
More cities and counties have created new “chief heat officer” positions to focus on resilience in the face of a hotter climate. These officials have been tasked with coordinating efforts to make extreme heat more bearable in their communities.
Related Stories
Sponsored | Cladding and Facade Systems | Mar 15, 2023
Metal cladding trends and innovations
Metal cladding is on a growth trajectory globally. This is reflected in rising demand for rainscreen cladding and architectural metal coatings. This course covers the latest trends and innovations in the metal cladding market.
Student Housing | Mar 13, 2023
University of Oklahoma, Missouri S&T add storm-safe spaces in student housing buildings for tornado protection
More universities are incorporating reinforced rooms in student housing designs to provide an extra layer of protection for students. Storm shelters have been included in recent KWK Architects-designed university projects in the Great Plains where there is a high incidence of tornadoes. Projects include Headington and Dunham Residential Colleges at the University of Oklahoma and the University Commons residential complex at Missouri S&T.
Seismic Design | Feb 27, 2023
Turkey earthquakes provide lessons for California
Two recent deadly earthquakes in Turkey and Syria offer lessons regarding construction practices and codes for California. Lax building standards were blamed for much of the devastation, including well over 35,000 dead and countless building collapses.
Sustainability | Feb 9, 2023
New guide for planning, designing, and operating onsite water reuse systems
The Pacific Institute, a global nonpartisan water think tank, has released guidance for developers to plan, design, and operate onsite water reuse systems. The Guide for Developing Onsite Water Systems to Support Regional Water Resilience advances circular, localized approaches to managing water that reduce a site’s water footprint, improve its resilience to water shortage or other disruptions, and provide benefits for local communities and regional water systems.
Concrete | Jan 24, 2023
Researchers investigate ancient Roman concrete to make durable, lower carbon mortar
Researchers have turned to an ancient Roman concrete recipe to develop more durable concrete that lasts for centuries and can potentially reduce the carbon impact of the built environment.
Sustainability | Jan 23, 2023
How regenerative design is driving AEC industry innovation
HOK's Sean Quinn and Microsoft's JoAnn Garbin discuss the next step of sustainability: regenerative design.
Multifamily Housing | Jan 19, 2023
Editorial call for Multifamily Affordable Housing project case studies - no cost to submit!
Building Design+Construction will feature a roundup of "Multifamily Affordable Housing" projects on BDCnetwork.com.
Products and Materials | Jan 18, 2023
6 innovative products for multifamily developments
Here are six innovative products for various multifamily developments, including a condominium-wide smart electrical system, heavy-duty aluminum doors, and prefabricated panels.
Adaptive Reuse | Jan 12, 2023
Invest in existing buildings for your university
According to Nick Sillies of GBBN, students are increasingly asking: "How sustainable is your institution?" Reusing existing buildings may help answer that.
Sponsored | Resiliency | Dec 14, 2022
Flood protection: What building owners need to know to protect their properties
This course from Walter P Moore examines numerous flood protection approaches and building owner needs before delving into the flood protection process. Determining the flood resilience of a property can provide a good understanding of risk associated costs.
