King Abdulaziz University researcher and lecturer at the Department of Environmental Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Planning, Engineer Saeed Al Haseki, has come up with an innovation that mitigates extreme urban heat in residential neighborhoods in the city of Jeddah.
This innovative project won the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) award in the housing category. This innovative project won the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) award in the housing category, whose findings focus on the interaction between extreme urban heat events, city formation and cultural identity, through which perceived temperatures can be reduced by up to 5 to 10 degrees Celsius at different times of the day and using different design solutions, according to the Saudi Press Agency “SPA”.
The idea of the project is to reduce perceived temperatures by 5 to 10 degrees Celsius at different times of the day and using different design solutions, according to the Saudi Press Agency “SPA”. The idea of the project is to know the phenomena that occurred in the city of Jeddah over time and how to minimize their effects and their health, environmental and economic damage to society in line with the Kingdom's Vision 2030, which aims to raise the quality of life in Saudi cities.
Haseki explained. Al-Haseki explained that the methods of work in the project were based on developing the historical narrative through the lens of extreme heat and its effects on urban form and urban behavior patterns, in addition to understanding the history of Jeddah's response to extreme heat over time, understanding the factors that increase the intensity of heat in cities, and assessing its effects on society and the environment, in order to design an ideal residential model that suits Jeddah's climate and meets contemporary housing needs.
Haseki explained that the methods of work in the project were based on developing the historical narrative through the lens of extreme heat and its effects on urban form and patterns of urban behavior. The proposed residential model was derived from lessons learned and analyzed precedents that fit Jeddah's climate, with the aim of producing a model that can mitigate the impact of climate change on the city and other urban areas facing extreme urban heat due to climate change.
He explained that the proposed residential model was derived from lessons learned and analyzed precedents that fit Jeddah's climate. The proposed residential model was thermally evaluated through the EnviMet simulation program and compared with the current situation of residential neighborhoods in Jeddah and also with Al Balad neighborhood, and the results proved the success of the design proposal thermally by reducing the perceived temperatures by up to 5 to 10 degrees Celsius at different times of the day and using different design solutions.
