Introduction
Mid-rise buildings (3-9 stories) set apart from each other, with open green spaces, parks, and parking lots in between. Heat Problem: Low to Moderate. Good natural ventilation and space for vegetation help mitigate heat.
Example Locations:
Temperate: Stuyvesant Town (USA), Berlin (Germany), Stockholm (Sweden)
Tropical: HDB Blocks (Singapore), Brasilia (Brazil), Putrajaya (Malaysia)
Arid: Abu Dhabi (UAE), Tel Aviv (Israel), Kuwait City (Kuwait)
Continental: Plattenbau (Germany), Warsaw (Poland), Kyiv (Ukraine)
Mitigation Measures for LCZ 5
1. Urban Vegetation (Parks)
Evaluation & Reasoning: Large green areas act as "oases" within the city, providing significant cooling through the combined effect of shade and mass evapotranspiration.
Climate Suitability:
Temperate/Tropical/Continental: Ideal due to available space and sufficient rainfall to support lush vegetation.
Arid: Large grass parks are unsustainable due to immense water needs. The focus should be on native, water-wise landscapes with clusters of highly efficient shade trees.
2. Shading Structures (Parking Lots)
Evaluation & Reasoning: Mitigates heat from large, dark asphalt surfaces, which act as massive heat sinks. Shading prevents them from absorbing solar energy in the first place.
Climate Suitability:
Arid/Tropical: Solar canopies are an excellent dual-purpose solution, providing valuable shade while generating clean energy in high-sun environments.
Temperate/Continental: Trees are highly viable, with species chosen for climate hardiness and canopy shape.
3. Water Features
Evaluation & Reasoning: Ponds, streams, and spray parks offer both powerful evaporative cooling and high recreational value, making public spaces more usable on hot days.
Climate Suitability:
Temperate/Arid/Continental: Highly effective. Use of recycled water is strongly recommended in arid zones to ensure sustainability.
Tropical: Less effective for cooling due to high humidity, but their high recreational and aesthetic value remains a strong driver for implementation.