Rising heat stress is one of the most serious environmental impacts for residents of high-density residential neighbourhoods. Periods of heat in summer can significantly reduce both the well-being and performance of people indoors and the quality of outdoor life.
Significant progress has been made in analysing the increase in heat stress caused by climate change. In contrast, however, the effects on buildings, open spaces and residents as well as the effects of adaptation measures to mitigate the adverse consequences are only partially known.
These gaps in knowledge relevant to implementation include, for example, 1) the effect of structural and technical building measures to improve summer heat protection, 2) the perspectives of residents as those affected by heat stress and their socio-spatial relationships, and 3) the interactions between urban climatic factors and ecosystem services.
HeatResilientCity develops and implements innovative, socially just and user-accepted adaptation measures that support the reduction of the summer heat load of residents in buildings and open spaces.
Example quarters in Dresden and Erfurt serve as real-world laboratories in which the project team investigates the perspectives, assessments and possibilities of the residents. There, actors from building management and urban development work together with the scientific partners to create a creative and innovative environment.
The two cities of Dresden and Erfurt coordinate the inner-city networking, are responsible for the management of the real-world laboratories and support the development and implementation of adaptation measures through the involvement of their specialised authorities.
The transdisciplinary research consortium specifically addresses existing conflicts of objectives, increases the acceptance of climate adaptation measures, reduces implementation barriers and thus contributes to sustainable urban development.