Mitigate ‘Urban Heat Island’ Effect

Photo of a rooftop garden taken from NParks

Singapore being a high densely city with a tremendous growth in population and buildings, it is susceptible to Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect. UHI is a phenomenon where air temperatures in densely built cities are higher than the suburban rural areas. In Singapore, the high-rise buildings and lack of natural vegetation due to urbanisation are the determinant factors of the prominent phenomenon we are facing. Therefore, creating green spaces and conserving our nature reserves can contribute to the reduction of UHI effect. By integrating nature to mitigate UHI, initiatives are adopted to install green roofs and walls in high rise buildings to offset harsh tropical heat. The green roofs measure can be seen in high rise flats where the roof is replaced to a community garden. Therefore, the greenery effort is a natural tool to cool and insulate high temperate in the city and curb environmental problem.