Adapt public space to climate change

Public space will play a key role in helping cities adapt to climate change through cost-effective and low technology measures.

Understanding the appropriate design and management options for responding to future climate scenarios will be key to maximising this potential.

Recognising the important role that public spaces play in combating climate change, CABE Space has released guidance on climate change adaptation covering flood risk management, a holistic approach to developing sustainable neighbourhoods, approaches to sustainable drainage systems and combating the urban heat island effect.

Adapting to climate change will mean looking at new ways of designing streets, parks and civic spaces and improving existing ones. The main issues are:

• hotter temperatures mean a greater need for shade and provision of seating and rest areas as more people spend time outdoors. This has implications for the incorporation of trees into streets and spaces, the width, dimensions and layout of street networks and the choice of design elements in public spaces – for example, the ratio of planting to hard standing and the impact of this on evaporative cooling. Parks and gardens will also receive heavier wear and tear
• extreme weather will mean heavier rainfall and greater incidence of storms and high winds. This will have implications in terms of materials used, the amount of shelter provided by walkways, trees and landscape buffers and the overall functions of public spaces and their use throughout the year.