TV3 visits LANDLAB
Designing with nature
Today, the TV3 team visited our LANDLAB offices in Sant Cugat del Vallès to delve into an increasingly concerning climatic phenomenon: the urban heat island (UHI). This effect causes temperatures in cities to be considerably higher than in the surrounding rural areas, with significant implications for the health and well-being of their inhabitants.
The phenomenon of ICU is due to multiple factors related to the urban environment, among which the following stand out:
1. Urban materials that absorb heat
Buildings, asphalt, and concrete absorb a large portion of solar radiation during the day and release it slowly at night, increasing the ambient temperature. This process is linked to the concept of albedo, which measures the amount of sunlight a surface reflects. Surfaces with high albedo, such as snow or light-colored paints, reflect most of the radiation, while materials with low albedo, such as black asphalt or dark facades, absorb most of the solar energy, contributing to cities retaining heat.
2. Sparse vegetation
The scarcity of trees and green areas reduces evapotranspiration, a natural cooling process where water moves from the Earth's surface to the atmosphere in the form of vapor. Evapotranspiration combines the evaporation of water and the transpiration of plants, which release vapor through their leaves. Therefore, parks and green areas maintain lower temperatures than paved zones, making them essential spaces for a cooler and more livable city.
3. Absence of shade
The lack of vegetation means less natural shade. In addition to blocking direct sunlight, trees cool the environment through transpiration. In contrast, awnings, although they block sunlight, do not evaporate water and can trap heat, increasing the local temperature.
4. Impermeable surfaces
Paved streets prevent water from filtering or evaporating, limiting the natural cooling of the environment.
5. High building density
The concentration of buildings hinders urban ventilation, promoting the accumulation of heat.
6. Anthropogenic heat
Human activities, such as the use of vehicles and air conditioning systems, emit additional heat that further raises the temperature in cities.
Measures to Mitigate the Urban Heat Island Effect
To combat this phenomenon, various strategies are proposed such as increasing green infrastructure (parks, green roofs, trees), using reflective materials in roofs and pavements, promoting bioclimatic urbanism and urban renaturalization, as well as reducing traffic and industrial heat emissions.
Additional benefits of green infrastructure
In addition to cooling cities, green areas absorb CO₂ and pollutants, produce oxygen, promote biodiversity by serving as a refuge for birds and insects, and help filter noise and dust.
At LANDLAB, we work every day to promote these solutions to tackle heatwaves, improve urban quality of life, and move towards more sustainable and resilient cities.
Click here to watch the interview.