Can a few splashes of water on hot pavement reduce the heat island effect? Researchers find evidence to support a traditional Japanese method of cooling the environment.
Researchers from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands have made a positive connection between the traditional Japanese practice of sprinkling water on the ground and the reduction in ground and air temperature. Samuel Illingworth of The Poetry of Science writes that the research, presented at the European Geosciences Union General Assembly in April, showed a decreased surface and air temperature in a controlled three dimensional area, as measured by fiber optic cables.
Uchimizu involves the sprinkling of water over an area of land (uchi comes from the Japanese verb utsu meaning to hit or strike, and mizu is the Japanese word for water), and it is traditionally performed using a bucket and ladle whilst wearing a yukata.
The findings suggest that the act of uchimizu could help to mitigate the heat island effect in high temperature areas with low permeability.
FULL STORY: Ancient Cooling
Twin Cities Climate Vulnerability: Extreme Heat
State climatologists are highly confident that heat waves are likely to trend upwards in future summers in Minnesota. To address extreme heat, researchers are identifying the factors that exacerbate extreme heat.
How Can Cities Adapt to Rising Temperatures? Change the Weather
Brian Stone of the Georgia Institute of Technology writes about a recent article he co-authored in the Journal of Planning Education and Research.
How to Beat Extreme Heat
Louisville, Kentucky has recently been named the "most rapidly growing urban heat island" in the U.S., but what led to this title? Jeff Byles traces how cities are becoming increasingly warm through a number of different factors, including economic.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie