Al-Farsi: Sustainable code for protection against the urban heat island phenomenon
In a press statement, Al-Farsi highlighted that extensive areas of asphalt and concrete, along with the lack of tree cover and shading, contribute to heat absorption and storage, leading to elevated temperatures in urban environments. This results in environmental impacts, increased energy consumption, and a decline in urban environmental quality. She emphasized the importance of her proposal, submitted over a year ago, to establish a sustainable code for parking facilities in Kuwait.
She noted that, unfortunately, the Executive Authority has not responded to the proposal to date. Today, with the move to implement temporary parking lots on vacant land, there is a practical opportunity to begin implementing the proposal’s recommendations and adopting sustainability specifications and standards in the design and construction of parking facilities. This could start by setting minimum environmental requirements for new parking lots, such as planting trees and installing breathable shade structures, and selecting materials and surfaces that limit heat absorption, such as cooling pavements, among other solutions suitable for Kuwait’s environment. The goal is to mitigate the urban heat island effect and its impacts, rather than allowing new parking projects to exacerbate it.
Al-Farsi clarified that expanding investment in parking facilities presents an opportunity to improve our urban environment and enhance parking services, provided that planning and standards that consider sustainability are integrated from the outset. She pointed to the potential of learning from neighboring Gulf states, such as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the State of Qatar, in testing and applying cool pavement technologies using light-colored, reflective materials and coatings to reduce surface heat absorption.
She added that there is an opportunity to form a technical team to establish minimum environmental specifications and standards suitable for Kuwait’s climate, thereby curbing the worsening urban heat island phenomenon. During discussions in the Technical Committee of the Public Works Authority (Al-Baladi) regarding the directives and decision of the Council of Ministers, a condition was added requiring that, if we proceed with investing in these services, specifications and standards that adhere to environmental sustainability principles must be considered.
