Adapting to summer heat waves is becoming increasingly crucial in German cities. A new online tool helps users to determine the effectiveness of various adaptive measures outdoors as well as in and around buildings. The HRC heat tool was developed as part of the HeatResilientCity project – a joint effort of Technische Universität Dresden and the Leibniz Institute for Ecological Urban and Regional Development along with research and community partners. The tool is suited to use by municipalities, the housing industry and individual people alike.

© R. Ortlepp/IÖR-Media

Very sunny, hot days and warm nights compromise the well-being of city dwellers. To protect the population from heat stress urgently requires adaptive measures such as shading or the removal of impervious surfaces followed by the planting of vegetation in urban areas. When it comes to implementation, municipalities, the housing sector and individuals repeatedly face the issue of which measure will be most effective in countering overheating. Digital planning tools can offer support with this critical decision.

The Leibniz Institute for Ecological Urban and Regional Development (IÖR), TU Dresden and the University of Applied Sciences Dresden (HTW) joined forces with industry partners to develop such a tool as part of the HeatResilientCity joint project. The HRC heat tool enables users to estimate how effective adaptive measures are outdoors as well as in and around residential buildings. The development of the tool was preceded by comprehensive research on existing mechanisms. Based on the findings, the project team devised the HRC heat tool. The goal was to compensate for the deficits of existing applications while providing a simple and easily transferable tool for assessing small-scale heat adaption measures.

Adaptive measures in outdoor spaces

The HRC heat tool’s outdoor indicator helps users estimate the impact of measures taken to combat heat stress. This makes it possible to assess just how effective small-scale measures and roadside greenery are. Based on the given model surface areas, surfaces can be selected which best represent the initial condition of the space as well as the measure taken. The difference in human-created heat stress is then calculated between both areas. Furthermore, the tool enables time-based diagnostics which take into account the different conditions of the summer months and times of day. Both aspects represent an innovation in comparison to other applications. A system similar to that of a stoplight visualizes simply how effective a heat stress-countering measure is.

Adaptive measures in and around residential buildings

© HeatResilientCity

The HRC heat tool’s building mechanism helps users estimate the impact of measures taken to combat heat stress in indoor spaces. First, the current heat stress level of an indoor space is calculated. This requires entering the location of the given room within the building, the dimensions of the windows, the construction method used for the building and the ventilation system. The second step requires users to select the adaptive measure, for instance outside blinds or planting greenery on the roof, so that its effectiveness can be assessed. How effectively the selected measure reduces heat stress in the given room is also indicated via a stoplight system.

View the HRC heat tool online: http://hrc-hitzetool.ioer.info/

Background:
The HeatResilientCity project was funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the European Union. In addition to Technische Universität Dresden’s Chair of Meteorology, the project alliance comprises the Leibniz Institute for Ecological Urban and Regional Development Dresden, the Institute of Urban Research, Planning and Communication at the University of Applied Sciences Erfurt, the University of Applied Sciences Dresden, the Environmental Office of the City of Dresden, the Environmental and Nature Conservation Office of the City of Erfurt, the Railway Workers’ Housing Cooperative (Eisenbahner-Wohnungsbaugenossenschaft) Dresden (in Phase I), and the Office of Health and Prevention of the City of Dresden (Phase II). The project was honored with the 2022 German Sustainability Award for Research.

Detailed Information: http://heatresilientcity.de/

Contact at TU Dresden:
Dr. Astrid Ziemann, Chair of Meteorology

Dr. Uta Moderow, Chair of Meteorology