New modelling from State Government predicts that Queensland will be subject to an increase in urban heat, raising heat-related health impacts significantly (Queensland Government, 2023). To combat this, there is a critical need to plan for future green infrastructure and tree canopy that maximises equal access to shade.
We need to investigate and prioritise sustainable preventative health measures to guide professionals responsible for shaping the built environment on how to maximise tree shaded pathway networks to reduce UV radiation exposure in our urban environments. We must support the delivery of outcomes that contribute to urban cooling and lowering the urban heat island effect. Improving thermal comfort will encourage communities to choose active modes of transport, benefiting human health and contributing to carbon emissions reduction.
In this session we will present several ideas about the importance of equal access to open space, an evidence-based approach to design and how tree canopy plays a fundamental role in its natural ability to shade and reduce UV radiation exposure in our urban environments.
We will draw on work undertaken as part of Queensland Health’s ‘Healthy Places, Healthy People’ evidence-informed frameworks which guides how the State’s built and natural environments can support community health outcomes. To better understand trees as a solution for preventative health, Arup has developed an online Shade Tree guidance resource, supported by CanopyCast, a digital tool to analyse UV index reduction and shade provided by trees.
Citations:
Queensland Government, 2023 [Online]
https://www.longpaddock.qld.gov.au/qld-future-climate/adapting/heatwaves.