As devastating heat waves sweep large parts of Europe and China, Wan-Yu Shih looks at how careful urban design can help plan for increasingly overheating cities
When it comes to climate adaptation options, one of the key messages coming from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is for cities to integrate their grey and green spaces.
While modern cities have largely moved on from traditional practices, our forebears may have understood more than we realise about living with nature. Increasingly, researchers specialising in how cities can cope with climate change are encouraging us to regain local knowledge of nature.
City developments often don’t consider orientation, water, wind flows, and light. In face of urban warming, air conditioning remains almost the standard response in more developed nations, whatever the weather.