This spring, the planet saw its warmest April on record, in a string of 11 record-smashing months for heat. And few places are hotter than concrete-filled, heat-trapping cities. Here are six ways municipalities are looking to beat the heat this summer.
Paint it white
Dark roads, rooftops and sidewalks absorb the sun’s energy, contributing to a heat-island effect in cities. Los Angeles has painted streets white to reflect the sun, cooling them by 10 to 15°F. New York City has painted millions of square feet of roofs white to do the same, while Phoenix has painted more than 189 kilometres of streets grey.
Cool islands
Paris, which is set to host this year’s Summer Olympic Games, has created 800 “cool islands,” which are essentially water fountains or public buildings where visitors or residents can get some respite from the heat.
Warning sign
The Indian city of Ahmedabad has implemented a system that gives residents a seven-day warning when a heat wave is coming and triggers a coordinated emergency heat response by the local government. Heat-related deaths in the city have fallen by 20% to 30% as a result.
Policy of shade
Seville, Spain, the land of the afternoon siesta where it often hits 40°C during the hottest part of the day in summer, has installed large awnings everywhere in what the city’s mayor calls its “policy of shade.”
Cool(er) buildings
In Abu Dhabi, some engineers and architects have designed buildings to deflect heat that often reaches above 40°C. The Al Bahar Towers are two 29-storey buildings with a network of automated folding window screens that open and shut depending on where the sun is in the sky, lowering solar gain by more than 50% and reducing the need for air conditioning.
Plant trees
Increasing tree cover up to 30% could prevent a third of deaths from high temperatures in cities. Sydney, Australia, is planning to plant five million trees in the area by 2030 to offer shade. Montreal wants to plant 500,000 trees by 2030, and Washington, D.C., has an ambitious goal to boost its tree cover to 40% by 2032.
Illustrations by Alysha Dawn
