Uploaded on 2017-06-03 by samira azgua

1.Check the temperature differences in US cities By checking the US I found out that the Nr.1 city in the US concerning the difference between Urban and Rural Temperature difference is Las Vegas. I am not really surprised as I know that in Las Vegas a lot of energy is consumed by air condition and lightening buildings etc. (lights also produce heat), but I am surprised about the extreme difference of 24 Degrees in comparison to rural areas. 2.Which are the main UHI effects that you can identify in your area? There are no scientific studies found in the internet. One Report says that some studies indicated that Dubai has seen around 70% in land cover and a 1.5 degree C rise in land surface temperature during the last 10 years. Which could be an indicator of UHI. The source of this study is not mentioned. Another Report says that most UHI will be found in the old parts of Dubai, like Deira, which makes sense as the streets are narrow in this area and a lot of wall mounted AC will be found. Also the report shows that Trees and greenery can reduce the UHI. The first picture is taken in Deira and shows a very dense building situation with a lot of energy consume (AC) and hardly any greenery. This is a situation for a high UHI effect. The second situation shows a residential area that provides a lot of greenery helping to cool down and spend shadow, the area where I live. 4. Which are the measures you would propose? One of the most effective measure to minimize UHI as we also learned in the Video is greenery, plants, trees that give shadows. I would create parks and green areas in the city. Of course in countries with desert climat this is also difficult situation because of water shortness. Another measure I propose is to do construction in a more climate effective way and maybe come back to traditional concepts of architecture and combine it with modern aspects. Use shading elements, choose the right direction of the building concerning winds and solar incident. Traditional houses have wind towers that conduct wind into the building for more natural ventilation. These concepts could be continued. Choose bright colors for the facade and rooftops which helps reflecting the sun. 5.Is UHI effect concerning policy making in your area? Yes there are several projects in planning and some are already implemented. A small one that has been implemented recently is that all bulbs in the lanterns of the residential area were exchanged from normal ones to LED bulbs. More and more outdoor space is created all over the city, walkways and bicycle paths. Just a few weeks ago it was announced that a new huge park will be built in the city, situated towards the hinterland, but in the center of the city and between new residential areas. The park will consist of a lot of greenery, sports fields, playgrounds and bicycle paths.