CONCLUSION
Cool Burkina Faso school
Located on the dusty outskirts of the town of Koudougou, Burkina Faso, the Schorge Secondary School shows what is possible when builders mix traditional techniques and new materials. The school consists of nine modules arranged around a central courtyard, protecting the central space from wind and dust. Each module is built out of locally sourced laterite bricks, which absorb the heat during the day and radiate it at night. A secondary façade made of local eucalyptus wood wraps around the classrooms like a transparent fabric and creates shaded spaces to protect students from stifling daytime temperatures.
White roofs in India
Following an intense 2010 heatwave, Ahmedabad, India developed a plan to rein in temperatures, which spike in the months before the annual monsoon. Some 7,000 low-income households saw their roofs painted white, a simple step that dramatically reduces inside temperatures by reflecting sunlight. The city also planted trees and provided free water to the public in an effort that saves an estimated 1,100 lives a year. Ahmedabad has served as a blueprint for 30 other cities in India, which have released or are developing similar cooling plans.
Maldives turns to shading
The Maldives is at the forefront of the climate crisis, with rising sea levels and surging temperatures devastating the low-lying nation. The Ministry of Environment–with support from UNEP—has been working to ensure residents can keep cool without raising electricity consumption. The centerpiece of that effort is the construction of the Maldives Meteorological Services building in Addu City. Based on guidelines developed by UNEP, it emphasizes passive cooling measures, using shading, insulation and even its orientation to keep temperatures down.
Building standards in Cambodia
In Cambodia, demand for building cooling is set to double between 2020 and 2040. UNEP and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP) are working with two property developers to counter that trend.
The partners are testing the effectiveness of passive cooling measures, like insulation, shading and roof design. Ultimately, the project aims to integrate the most successful strategies into national building regulations and urban planning standards, reducing energy demand for cooling while bringing heat relief to building occupants.
A revitalized stream in Korea
The 11-km Cheonggyecheon Stream in the center of Seoul was hidden under a 10-lane road and a raised four-lane motorway until 2005, when the local government dismantled the infrastructure and revitalized the stream.
This has reduced the heat-island effect the city endures, with temperatures along the stream 3.3°C to 5.9°C cooler than on a parallel road just blocks away. The project illustrates the profound effect natural solutions can have on urban temperatures. UNEP News
