According to the authors of new study published by Arup, city design is playing a major role in driving up urban temperatures.
“We've really pushed nature out in the past and concreted our streets and open spaces, and what we’re finding out more and more that nature has a big role to play in cooling our cities,” Zogheib told me.
She added it was important to consider the creation of “cool spaces” where people can get shelter and respite during any heatwaves. “We need to reconsider working hours during heatwaves, like moving towards a more evening-based economy.” The study found in the majority of cities studied, the hottest spots had less than 6% vegetation cover, while the coolest spots in most cities had over 70% and were found almost entirely in parks, away from residential and commercial areas.Last month, the non-profit Climate Central published data which claimed the urban heat island effect means 41 million Americans are being exposed to significantly higher temperatures.
“In the more Northern part of the United States, the major goal was always to stay warm,” Brady told me.“In warmer parts of the United States, the approach was fundamentally different, because they were not trying to stay warm. They used different building materials and lighter colours.”
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