14/08/2023
Urban heat islands are created through a combination of factors. Green spaces and vegetation play a vital role in reducing surface temperatures through evapotranspiration, where plants release water to the surrounding air, dissipating ambient heat. Meanwhile, urban geometry, with its obstructive structures, traps heat at night. Additionally, urban surfaces absorb and store more heat compared to natural ground cover, raising temperatures further.
Understanding these factors helps us create cooler and more sustainable cities.
Living walls have a considerable impact on reducing urban heat. Covering walls and facades with greenery reduces the amount of direct sunlight that hits hard surfaces and helps to absorb some of the sun's energy thereby bringing down the surface temperature.
How concrete, asphalt and urban heat islands add to the misery of heat waves