Dubai plans strategy to keep hottest areas cool

Dubai Municipality is developing a climate adaptation strategy to reduce the temperature in the emirate’s hottest urban areas.

In a press release issued yesterday, Hussain Nasser Lootah, director-general of Dubai Municipality, said the strategy will cover several sectors, including but not limited to energy, water, infrastructure, food, biodiversity, ecology, coastal area, air quality, public health, business and tourism development.

Alia Al Harmoudi, director of Environment Department, said thermal islands in the emirate will be studied in line with the strategy.

A thermal island, also called an urban heat island (UHI), is a metropolitan area which is significantly warmer than its surrounding rural areas.

“An aerial survey of the urban areas of the emirate will be conducted using an advanced thermal surveying technique to identify the area affected with the phenomenon of thermal islands in the emirate.”

She said the project includes technical analysis of aerial survey data using advanced computer programmes. “The outputs of the project will be considered as a key input in the climate adaptation strategy.

“One of its main outputs will be a 3D map explaining the area affected with the phenomenon of thermal islands in the emirate and the thermal contrast between them and the surrounding areas in order to be able to find technical solutions and take effective measures and policies in coordination with all relevant sectors to reduce and limit the phenomenon in Dubai.” The strategy will be implemented in three major phases.