There’s no doubt about it, Darwin is one of Australia’s hottest cities. And by hot, we mean heat-affected, as well as a cool spot for tourists moving around and exploring the great outdoors. Hot cities mean hot assets, which means more energy is required to cool them, which means more carbon emissions, which means a worsening impact on our world. We need to cool down. And that’s the aim behind the Cavenagh Street heat mitigation trial.
The Northern Territory government commissioned the University of New South Wales (UNSW) to conduct a study of inner city heat, humidity and wind movement, using thermal imaging and drone monitoring to map Darwin’s temperatures1.
Stage 1 was completed in November 2018, and included heat mitigation methods such as:
- Removal of existing median strips
- Construction of light-weight framed structure for vegetation growth
- Misting to underside of structure to improve thermal comfort
- Landscaping
- Up-lighting
- Vine planter and irrigation at central planters2
Stage 2, completed in May 2020, includes:
- Planting of twenty-nine trees with species such as Bush Apple and Yellow Flame Trees
- Light coloured and heat reflective road surface treatments to reduce pavement temperatures
- Construction of tree pits and median garden beds3
As the climate crisis worsens, it is up to all of us, in government and business, asset owners and managers to implement minor and major changes. Every little bit counts towards saving energy, extending an asset’s life, building value for the enterprise and, of course, decreasing the damage to the earth caused by carbon emissions.
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1 Sourced: https://activatedarwin.nt.gov.au/city-projects/creating-cooler-city