This article was first published in Hungarian on the website of our sister publication Magyar Krónika.
The Paulinyi & Partners design office, with the support of the European Space Agency, is developing solutions to combat urban heat islands using satellite data. The goal of the Hungarian engineers is to create more liveable, cooler urban areas, which in the near future could provide solutions to many of the health challenges faced by major European cities.
According to forecasts, one of the most severe impacts of climate change will be rising temperatures, which will particularly affect large European cities. As a result of the heat island effect, temperatures in cities can be several degrees higher than in the surrounding green areas. This phenomenon is increasingly affecting many towns in Hungary, especially the capital, where temperatures in densely built-up areas can rise by as much as 6 degrees Celsius.
Summer heat not only lowers the quality of life but also poses a health risk. As a contractual partner of the European Space Agency, the Paulinyi & Partners design office is working on a service that could help create cooler and more liveable urban areas. In collaboration with local governments, the programme analyses the urban heat island effect using satellite-based earth observation data and on-site measurements.
This summer was particularly hot, with July being one of the hottest months recorded in Hungary since measurements began. More and stronger heatwaves are expected in the future, presenting health risks for residents of Europe’s major cities. Urban residents are particularly vulnerable to heat alerts, as the heat-retaining effect of concrete and asphalt surfaces results in much higher temperatures. Recent measurements in the 23rd district also confirmed that the proportion of green spaces significantly influences the microclimate: the temperature of asphalted areas was consistently higher than that of the measuring stations located in green zones.
Preliminary assessments show that both city leaders and property developers support the increase of green spaces, tree planting, and the energy modernization of buildings. The research also highlighted a growing demand for complex, city-level solutions that effectively help mitigate the heat island effect.
The Paulinyi & Partners HeatScape Resolve solution will be introduced to an international professional audience at the Urbis 24 conference in Rome in September, where Parametric Architectural Design Expert Dr Réka Sárközi will give a presentation. Following this, the design office will also present its project in October at the International Astronautical Congress in Milan, which could represent a significant advance in addressing urban heat islands.
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