Uploaded on 2015-12-14 by Muhegazy

Checked, it is obvious that the UHI is becoming a growing issue for crowded cities, especially in their business districts. For example, it is up to 27 degrees in urban Los Angeles than its rural areas, and up to 21 degree hotter in case of Washington DC. **2. Which are the main UHI effects that you can identify in your area?** The city of Ismailia has an average temperature of around 28-32 degrees celcius. However, the rural parts of surrounding the city (villages, farming areas) are always cooler (by a round 3 to 5 degrees), have stronger airflow and better thermal comfort for residents. The UHI effects that can be identified in my city are: - The over- use of artificial air conditioning, almost every house has at least one air conditioning unit, releasing much heat to the outer wall surfaces and air. - The overcrowded roads, a large number of cars are emitting heat to the streets, especially in the city center. - The non-reliable proportions between height of buildings and width of roads, as well as non-reliable buildings orientation, preventing airflow from smooth ventilation of the city center. - The lack for vegetation, shaded areas in the streets. - The dark colored building materials, absorbing more sun heat. ![City center][1] ![Rural area near the city][2] The first image shows the city center, or the business district. It has shown how close the buildings, air conditioning units are are fixed on walls emitting heat, and the buildings colors are dark. On the other hand, the second image shows a rural area with a vast green cover and less building density. Moreover, the buildings materials in this area are natural and act as good heat insulators, so no need for artificial cooling is needed. **3. Which are the measures you would propose?** - Enrich the city center with vegetation, as well as plenty of shading areas. - Promote the concept of green roofs and passive cooling techniques, reward citizen who corporate. - Promote cycling as a way of commuting; limit traffic jams as static cars make more heat islands. - Study potentials of wind flow within the city, and how to use it for natural ventilation of spaces. - Increase awareness among citizens of issues like climate change and sustainable energy alternatives. **4. Is UHI effect concerning policy making in your area?** Until now, the UHI effects are not among the priorities, as the city is facing more severe problems like traffic jams, non-affordable housing prices, and electricity black outs. However, there are some measurements, which have indirect positive impact on fighting UHI, such as protecting agricultural land from urban use, developing more parks within the city center, and endorsement of environmental studies for the newly developed areas of the city. [1]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/1450090312352063.jpg [2]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14500903497351172.jpg