Cooling Urban Life - Governance Model Incentivising Behavioural Change to Mitigate Urban Heat Islands

Introduction

Urban heat islands occur when natural land cover is replaced with dense concentrations of pavement, buildings, and other surfaces that absorb and retain heat. Heat islands can affect communities by increasing summertime peak energy demand, air conditioning costs, air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, heat-related illness and mortality, and water quality.

Mitigation Strategies

With the introduction of key urban heat island mitigation strategies, it is possible to reduce urban temperatures, thus mitigating the effects of urban heat islands and improving living conditions for city residents. These strategies include:

1. Creating wind corridors for ventilation
2. Increasing tree and vegetative cover
3. Installing green roofs and façades for buildings
4. Using lighter colours and cool pavements in construction
5. Utilising smart growth practices
6. Making better use of water

Local Context

Szeged, as one of the hottest cities in Hungary, has recognized that in order to reduce urban temperatures and improve living conditions for city residents, changes need to be made not only in public areas and local governance mechanisms by incorporating heat island mitigation strategies, but also in encouraging and incentivizing residents, local businesses, and communities to use mitigation measures on their private built-up areas. Active engagement of citizens is necessary to achieve actual behavioural change.

Project Goals

To achieve this, COOL LIFE will set up and demonstrate an innovative, complex governance model that includes the use of behavioural change incentivising mechanisms for all stakeholders. This model aims to mitigate heat islands in urban environments and will be complemented with:

• Guidelines for professionals and the general public
• Community involvement
• Communication and dissemination activities