Name: Designing to mitigate urban heat island effects
Uploaded: 2023-12-01T18:18:29.656Z
Duration: 409.98

Sequence 01.mp4

Urban heat v6.vtt

English

{{00:00:00}}
One aspect of urban heat island is
it reduces the energy efficiency, but

{{00:00:04}}
the other aspect of it, it  reduces
the air quality in the surrounding.

{{00:00:08}}
And that's where  the
health impacts come in.

{{00:00:23}}
So heat island effect really is
you know, the impact of the urban

{{00:00:28}}
development on the surrounds.

{{00:00:30}}
You know, we naturally the surroundings
are green and grasslands and trees.

{{00:00:35}}
But what we have as humans
have done to  our surrounding

{{00:00:39}}
is created all these effects.

{{00:00:40}}
Buildings and pavements around which
have caused the earth to heat up

{{00:00:46}}
and in turn creates an environment
which feels much hotter or warmer if

{{00:00:52}}
you're walking on a sidewalk versus
you're walking in a nice dense forest.

{{00:00:57}}
So that really is what
urban heat island is.

{{00:00:59}}
But the larger impacts go beyond that.

{{00:01:01}}
to just increasing heat, but also
causing carbon impacts and reducing

{{00:01:07}}
energy efficiency in the surroundings.

{{00:01:15}}
We all are affected by
urban heat island effects.

{{00:01:18}}
It is really we're talking about the
dense urban developments but if you

{{00:01:22}}
think about it the people who are most
affected and impacted on a long term

{{00:01:26}}
basis are the people on the fringes
It is the minority communities.

{{00:01:31}}
It is the individuals and families and
communities that do not have access

{{00:01:36}}
to Greenery who do not have access
to parks and these sort of shaded

{{00:01:41}}
environments which help with cooling.

{{00:01:44}}
One aspect of urban heat island is
it reduces the energy efficiency, but

{{00:01:48}}
the other aspect of it, it  reduces
the air quality in the surroundings.

{{00:01:53}}
And that's where the heat,
the health impacts come in.

{{00:01:56}}
So if you think about if there is a lack
of clean, fresh air in the surroundings

{{00:02:01}}
that you live in, so it could lead to
several health issues like asthma or it

{{00:02:07}}
could, you know, just poor,  just seeing
more incidences of bronchial issues

{{00:02:15}}
with the surroundings people and then
sometimes long term health impacts as

{{00:02:20}}
well related to just from the lack of
greenery and the lack of surroundings

{{00:02:25}}
and the reduced quality of life as well.

{{00:02:33}}
This is the fun part, right?

{{00:02:34}}
So there is, when I think about the
design strategies available, it's

{{00:02:38}}
really it falls in a couple of buckets.

{{00:02:41}}
The first being that as designers
and urban planners and architects and

{{00:02:46}}
policy makers, we can really increase
the amount of urban green space.

{{00:02:51}}
Think about urban green parks.

{{00:02:53}}
Think about creating urban forests
green rose and one end of it.

{{00:02:57}}
The other aspect of it is really
planting trees very strategically.

{{00:03:01}}
So, along sidewalks to create shade
or creating these urban pockets of

{{00:03:06}}
trees that created shaded environments
and help with evapotranspiration.

{{00:03:11}}
The  third, aspect of it
could be using really building

{{00:03:16}}
energy efficient materials.

{{00:03:17}}
So that reduces, you know, light
colored materials, light colored

{{00:03:22}}
pavements, or light colored roofs.

{{00:03:24}}
That reduces the amount of heat
absorbed by the surroundings and thus

{{00:03:28}}
reduces the heat island effect as well.

{{00:03:31}}
I think there's three benefits.

{{00:03:33}}
One is the improved air quality.

{{00:03:35}}
So now you are talking about reducing a
heat island, but you're also, by adding

{{00:03:41}}
these trees, by adding these little
breathing zones, you're increasing,

{{00:03:44}}
improving the amount of increasing
the amount of oxygen that is available

{{00:03:48}}
and thus the increased air quality.

{{00:03:50}}
The second is, I alluded to this a
little bit earlier, is improving the

{{00:03:54}}
energy efficiency of your surrounding,
of your surrounding building.

{{00:03:58}}
So by having these buildings that
are light, with light colored roofs,

{{00:04:02}}
you're actually reducing the amount of
energy used by the buildings inside.

{{00:04:07}}
So that's the second aspect of it.

{{00:04:08}}
And then the third one being really
creating,  an improved quality of life.

{{00:04:14}}
When you have a surrounding, which little
pocket parks, which is public green

{{00:04:19}}
spaces, streets, which are walkable,
you're allowing people to now be

{{00:04:23}}
socially active, be physically active,
and just having these places of moments

{{00:04:28}}
of respite within the city that leads
to an overall improved quality of life.

{{00:04:37}}
So a couple of examples come to mind.

{{00:04:40}}
The first being the
city state of Singapore.

{{00:04:43}}
So if you think about, you know,
they have some widespread policies

{{00:04:47}}
and requirements in place that
increases to increase the greenery.

{{00:04:52}}
So,  the gardens by the
bay is a great example.

{{00:04:57}}
So not only has it reduced urban heat
island effects, but really improve

{{00:05:02}}
the quality of life and physical well
being of the community around there.

{{00:05:07}}
Several cities across the globe,
such as Los Angeles, Chicago, have

{{00:05:11}}
certain ordinances in place for cool
roofs or green roofs to help mitigate

{{00:05:16}}
the heat island effects as well.

{{00:05:22}}
It is absolutely critical to
improve, to involve the community.

{{00:05:28}}
I think, you know, It's
a couple of ways, right?

{{00:05:30}}
Helping them walk, walking them
through to understand what are

{{00:05:34}}
the benefits off these strategies.

{{00:05:37}}
But secondly, also showing them how
it can improve their quality of life.

{{00:05:41}}
And thirdly, and most importantly, I
would think is hearing them and listening

{{00:05:46}}
to them and understanding what are the
challenges they are facing as a community.

{{00:05:52}}
Really the solution of Solving
the urban heat island and creating

{{00:05:55}}
that quality of life lives at that
intersection off urban planners,

{{00:06:00}}
policymakers and decision makers.

{{00:06:02}}
We cannot work in our silos anymore.

{{00:06:05}}
So you know, having policies in place.

{{00:06:08}}
that actually promote,  or require
greening, require light colored

{{00:06:13}}
pavements, require cool roofs require
small streets, require streets that

{{00:06:19}}
have mixed use, require allow for,
helps can sort of help urban planners

{{00:06:25}}
create those spaces, you know, allows
them to become the catalyst for them.

{{00:06:29}}
And then on the third side, it's
really the three working together.

{{00:06:33}}
It's the policy makers, it's the
urban planners, and the community.

{{00:06:37}}
And if we all start talking to each other
and really make solutions that benefit

{{00:06:41}}
all three of them is really the future.

One aspect of urban heat island is
it reduces the energy efficiency, but

the other aspect of it, it  reduces
the air quality in the surrounding.

And that's where  the
health impacts come in.

So heat island effect really is
you know, the impact of the urban

You know, we naturally the surroundings
are green and grasslands and trees.

But what we have as humans
have done to  our surrounding

Buildings and pavements around which
have caused the earth to heat up

and in turn creates an environment
which feels much hotter or warmer if

you're walking on a sidewalk versus
you're walking in a nice dense forest.

So that really is what
urban heat island is.

to just increasing heat, but also
causing carbon impacts and reducing

We all are affected by
urban heat island effects.

It is really we're talking about the
dense urban developments but if you

think about it the people who are most
affected and impacted on a long term

basis are the people on the fringes
It is the minority communities.

It is the individuals and families and
communities that do not have access

to Greenery who do not have access
to parks and these sort of shaded

the other aspect of it, it  reduces
the air quality in the surroundings.

And that's where the heat,
the health impacts come in.

So if you think about if there is a lack
of clean, fresh air in the surroundings

that you live in, so it could lead to
several health issues like asthma or it

could, you know, just poor,  just seeing
more incidences of bronchial issues

with the surroundings people and then
sometimes long term health impacts as

well related to just from the lack of
greenery and the lack of surroundings

So there is, when I think about the
design strategies available, it's

The first being that as designers
and urban planners and architects and

policy makers, we can really increase
the amount of urban green space.

Think about creating urban forests
green rose and one end of it.

The other aspect of it is really
planting trees very strategically.

So, along sidewalks to create shade
or creating these urban pockets of

trees that created shaded environments
and help with evapotranspiration.

The  third, aspect of it
could be using really building

So that reduces, you know, light
colored materials, light colored

That reduces the amount of heat
absorbed by the surroundings and thus

So now you are talking about reducing a
heat island, but you're also, by adding

these trees, by adding these little
breathing zones, you're increasing,

improving the amount of increasing
the amount of oxygen that is available

The second is, I alluded to this a
little bit earlier, is improving the

energy efficiency of your surrounding,
of your surrounding building.

So by having these buildings that
are light, with light colored roofs,

you're actually reducing the amount of
energy used by the buildings inside.

And then the third one being really
creating,  an improved quality of life.

When you have a surrounding, which little
pocket parks, which is public green

spaces, streets, which are walkable,
you're allowing people to now be

socially active, be physically active,
and just having these places of moments

of respite within the city that leads
to an overall improved quality of life.

The first being the
city state of Singapore.

So if you think about, you know,
they have some widespread policies

and requirements in place that
increases to increase the greenery.

So,  the gardens by the
bay is a great example.

So not only has it reduced urban heat
island effects, but really improve

the quality of life and physical well
being of the community around there.

Several cities across the globe,
such as Los Angeles, Chicago, have

certain ordinances in place for cool
roofs or green roofs to help mitigate

It is absolutely critical to
improve, to involve the community.

I think, you know, It's
a couple of ways, right?

Helping them walk, walking them
through to understand what are

But secondly, also showing them how
it can improve their quality of life.

And thirdly, and most importantly, I
would think is hearing them and listening

to them and understanding what are the
challenges they are facing as a community.

Really the solution of Solving
the urban heat island and creating

that quality of life lives at that
intersection off urban planners,

that actually promote,  or require
greening, require light colored

pavements, require cool roofs require
small streets, require streets that

have mixed use, require allow for,
helps can sort of help urban planners

create those spaces, you know, allows
them to become the catalyst for them.

And then on the third side, it's
really the three working together.

It's the policy makers, it's the
urban planners, and the community.

And if we all start talking to each other
and really make solutions that benefit

Best Practice

Urbanisation has given rise to elevated temperatures in densely populated areas, known as the 'urban heat island effect'. Vulnerable communities lacking access to green spaces are often the ones  most negatively impacted. 

Komal Kotwal explains more about the urban heat island effect, its impact on air pollution, energy use and public health. Listen as she explores potential solutions through design. 

Green Buildings

Climate Impact

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thumbnail_cropNELKXHLL-Presenter-KotwalK[1].jpg

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Komal Kotwal	

Discover insights from other experts

Founder and Principal Consultant

Kotwal shares what the urban heat island effect is and how it's caused. 


 Understanding Urban heat island effect

Kotwal emphasises the broader impact of urban heat island effect,  sharing which communities are at the greatest risk. 

Communities at risk

To counter the urban heat island effect, Kotwal suggests urban design strategies that can enhance air quality, boost energy efficiency, and elevate overall quality of life.

Designing to minimise impact

Kotwal shares a few examples where proper policies have allowed for a decreased effect on communities of impact. 

Examples of good design

Kotwal emphasises the importance of community involvement in enhancing urban environments