Cool City

Cool City Comments

It is in the interest of everyone living in the UAE to enjoy a cool weather during the summer. Children and adults would like to have outdoors activities instead of just staying indoors. Investors also would like to invest in a cool weather. There are several technologies and techniques to mitigate the weather but not all of them are feasible for the UAE.

Good Adaptation:

Placing misters and giant fans at different locations to create a cool, artificial breeze is a very affordable technology, and it can cool the weather by four or five degrees. Another good adaptation idea is increasing the green space which will in turn increase natural shading and lower the green gas effect by reducing CO2 in the weather. In the UAE, there are lots of tall buildings that have concrete walls which absorbs heat. The walls will radiate cooling by shading the narrow spaces between the buildings. This technique is not complex and affordable by the municipalities of the UAE.

Bad Adaptation:

While circulating seawater is a practical idea for cooling, it is difficult to be incorporated in the infrastructure of the populated areas. Also it is not a feasible idea in areas where water is scares. Building mechanical roofs that respond to the temperature is a complex technology that comes at a high cost. I believe that not all buildings owners are willing to afford such a cost. Public transport will reduce CO2 emissions, but we cannot guarantee that all people are willing to use it. There is no law in the UAE that enforces people to use public transport.

In conclusion, weather cooling techniques for the UAE vary in their complexity and cost. There are some very simple, affordable and feasible ones that can make big differences in the weather if implemented in the UAE.

Here is a video related to cool cities:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK6PId3HC9c