Frontiers Planet Prize’s Post

A 'cool roof' is designed to reflect more sunlight than a standard roof to lower the building temp, the need for air conditioning and the related energy consumption. "Unfortunately, the existing research and data on cool roofs is fragmented, which makes it difficult to gain a holistic understanding of the success of cool roofs as a method to reduce urban overheating." But a research team from UNSW , University of Adelaide and University of Calcutta have just completed an analysis of the potential impacts of urban-scale implementation of cool roofs across a variety of building types. They found Cool roofs have the greatest cooling potential in residential buildings, reducing heat and energy consumption by potentially up to 63.6%. Click on the link to read more:- https://lnkd.in/giw5KAUf Australian Urban Research Infrastructure Network Australian Alliance for Energy Productivity (A2EP) Green Building Council of Australia IdeaSpies Cordelia Rice #UrbanHeatIsland C40 Cities Pascal Perez

Urban heat islands are a significant environmental problem faced by cities worldwide, with higher urban temperatures potentially increasing the concentration of air pollution, impairing water quality, increasing the demand for electricity and causing heat-related morbidity and mortality. In a paper looking at one possible mitigation measure, under the coordination of Professor Mat Santamouris, researchers from the School of Built Environment at UNSW, the University of Adelaide and the University of Calcutta – Samira Garshasbi, jie feng, Riccardo Paolini, Jonathan Duverge, Carlos Bartesaghi Koc, PhD, Samaneh Arasteh and Ansar Khan – have conducted a comprehensive comparative analysis of the impact of urban-scale implementation of cool roofs on the local urban climate. Their study found that during the summer months cool roofs are estimated to significantly reduce indoor air temperature and the number of overheating hours, with a variety of potential benefits to health and wellbeing. For more on this study, and a link to the full paper – which uses data available through AURIN in combination with data from other sources – see the AURIN site! #coolroofs #energy #climate #health #climatehealth #urbanheat #urbanheating #urbandesign #urbanplanning #urbanpolicy #heatislands #climatechange #cities

Urban heat is an intensifying challenge for cities. As #climatechange impacts unfold, cities are bearing the disproportionate impacts of the warming planet. And within cities, the effects of #extremeheat vary widely and along socioeconomic lines. In more affluent communities, tree cover and more resilient building construction shield residents from the worst impacts, but in more economically vulnerable communities and informal settlements, lack of urban greenspaces and inadequate infrastructure, like steel roofs, magnify the impacts of heat. The challenges are great, but cities are not powerless in the face of intensifying heat. With equity at the center, cities can take proactive steps now to mitigate the worst impacts of heat and support health and wellbeing for their residents. On August 13, join a dynamic webinar led by UrbanShift and World Resorces Institute on how cities can take action against extreme heat. We’ll dive into data-informed approaches to assessing #heatrisk, and the range of innovative strategies and solutions that cities can employ to mitigate extreme heat, from green infrastructure to more efficient buildings to community-scale design. Want to learn how to cool down our cities? Don’t miss this insightful webinar! Learn more and register: https://bit.ly/3SgSUYM

In the previous post, we discussed the causes of the Urban Heat Island effect in urban areas. Now, let's explore potential solutions to mitigate it, ranging from passive design to microclimate engineering. Yesterday, Maitri Fischer provided further insights on this topic during eco-mantra's first-ever online panel discussion. Stay tuned for more updates on the panel discussion, and watch until the end to understand how these solutions can help create more comfortable cities. 🏠🌱 #UrbanHeatIsland #Regenerative #PassiveDesign

🌆 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗔𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘁: 𝗨𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗜𝘀𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲 🌡️🚔 A groundbreaking study published in 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 journal has unveiled the complex dynamics between 𝘂𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 (𝗨𝗛𝗜𝘀), 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀, and city planning. 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀: - 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀. - Urban design that includes green spaces can help reduce crime. - Sustainable urban planning is crucial in the face of global warming. The study, conducted in Midland, Perth, WA, emphasizes the need for innovative urban design strategies to create safer and more resilient communities. 🏙️💡 As we face the challenges of climate change, this research is a call to action for policymakers, designers, and planners to rethink our urban environments. 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲: https://lnkd.in/dYk3PiC4 #UrbanPlanning #ClimateChange #SustainableCities #CrimePrevention #UrbanHeatIsland

Do you find that Summers keep getting hotter? The Urban Heat Island UHI effect is a real thing. We as sustainability practitioners need to take a closer look at how we can cultivate more green belts in our cities to mitigate these UHI's. #urban #heat

🌞 As summer approaches, it's crucial to address the impact of the Heat Island Effect on our urban environments. 🏙️ 🌳 What exactly is the Heat Island Effect? Simply put, it's the phenomenon where urban areas experience significantly higher temperatures than their rural counterparts due to human activities and infrastructure. 🌆 ☀️ As temperatures rise, concrete, asphalt, and buildings absorb and retain heat, creating "heat islands" that can be several degrees warmer than surrounding areas. This not only makes cities uncomfortably hot but also poses serious health risks, especially for vulnerable populations such as the elderly and children. 🔥 🌱 The good news is that there are solutions to combat the Heat Island Effect and create more resilient and sustainable cities: 1️⃣ Increasing green spaces: Planting trees and creating parks can help cool urban areas by providing shade and evaporative cooling. 2️⃣ Using cool roofing and pavements: Light-colored materials and reflective surfaces can reduce heat absorption, lowering surface temperatures and mitigating the Heat Island Effect. 3️⃣ Implementing green infrastructure: Green roofs, permeable pavement, and rain gardens can help absorb heat and stormwater, improving urban resilience and reducing the Heat Island Effect. 4️⃣ Promoting sustainable urban design: Compact, mixed-use developments with ample greenery and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure can reduce heat buildup and energy consumption. 5️⃣ Educating communities: Raising awareness about the Heat Island Effect and encouraging sustainable behaviors can empower individuals and communities to take action in mitigating its impact. 💡 By implementing these strategies, we can create cooler, healthier, and more livable cities for everyone. Let's work together to beat the heat and build a more sustainable future. ☀️🌳 #HeatIslandEffect #Sustainability #UrbanResilience #ClimateAction #tumbeenvirolution Anuj Sharma Shailesh Mishra Priyangshhi Biswas Rohit Ghosh Ankit Kumar Gupta Pranit Chute Akansha Verma

The Power of Deep Retrofits in Urban Renewal aand Reduce Emissions, Explore how deep retrofits in buildings can significantly reduce emissions, enhance energy efficiency, and support community vitality, marking a new era in sustainable urban development. #SustainableDevelopment #GreenBuilding #RetrofitRevolution #UrbanRenewal #EnergyEfficiency #gcoportal https://lnkd.in/dugdb3Sp

🌍 𝗧𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗨𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝘁: 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 🌳 As global warming intensifies, cities are heating up faster than less urban areas due to the urban heat island (UHI) effect. This phenomenon results from the 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 of 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀, 𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝘀, and 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 that absorb and re-emit heat more than natural landscapes. Addressing urban heat is crucial to improving public health, reducing energy consumption, and enhancing urban livability. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗮𝘁 𝘂𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘁: 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 🌱: Urban green spaces, such as parks and tree-lined streets, provide shade and cool the air through evapotranspiration. These spaces can significantly reduce surrounding air temperatures. 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗥𝗼𝗼𝗳𝘀 🏠: White roofs can reflect up to 90% of sunlight, reducing heat absorption by buildings. Cool roofs, made from lighter-colored materials, also help lower urban temperatures and contribute to energy savings by reducing the need for air conditioning. 𝗖𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗣𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 🚧: Using reflective and permeable materials for pavements can greatly reduce heat absorption compared to traditional asphalt and concrete. Cities like Los Angeles have shown promising results with cool pavements. 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 💡: Smart shading systems that adjust based on the sun’s position and other innovative technologies can enhance traditional cooling methods.  𝗨𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 helps planners make informed decisions on heat mitigation strategies.  💡 Successful examples include 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 and 𝗠𝗲𝗹𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲’𝘀 𝘂𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆, significantly impacting local temperatures. 𝗨𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀, and 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 must adopt multifaceted approaches to creating 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗿, more 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 urban environments and protecting the health and well-being of city dwellers. 🌿🏙️ #UrbanHeat #SustainableCities #ClimateAction #GreenInfrastructure #CoolRoofs #UrbanPlanning

"Extensive greenery coverage on building rooftops could significantly reduce temperatures at the city scale and decrease energy costs, according to a new study. The research, led by Indira Adilkhanova and Professor Geun Young Yun from Kyung Hee University and co-authored by UNSW Sydney Scientia Professor Mattheos (Mat) Santamouris, found that green roofs could cool South Korea's capital city by around 1°C during summer and slash the energy demand associated with cooling by almost 8% under maximum coverage. The study, published in Nature Cities, is the first to analyze the transformative effect of green roofs on urban-scale energy consumption and climate conditions and could provide a template for modeling their potential in other cities worldwide." #greenroofs #sustainabledesign