The high temperatures that are being experienced internationally are becoming one of the biggest concerns of large urban centers. According to a report published by AXA Climate, if the city of Madrid does not take action, its temperatures could increase between 5.2 ºC and 5.5 ºC, reaching the climate of Marrakech. However, this popular Moroccan city has already begun to replace your asphalt to reduce the heat island effect in its streets.
Like Spain, Morocco is going through a heat wave these days. The difference: Its maximums are close to 48 ºC in much of the territory. Something that has led them to decree a red alert due to the risk of fires and to ask for the caution of their citizens in the face of the possibility of suffer heat stroke. However, the areas in which this episode is being most noticeable are the large cities, whose asphalt significantly increases the thermal sensation.
For this reason, two of the most popular cities in the country, Marrakech and Agadir, are in the middle of an innovative project that will allow reduce the heat island effect that is suffered in urban centers. The solution they have found is to progressively replace the conventional asphalt of the main streets with a permeable alternative that allows water filtration and guarantee cooler days.
This material will enhance the evaporation of water, which will reduce the temperatures of cities
This measure responds to a general problem that is being experienced in cities around the world, since at an ambient temperature of 39 degrees, Asphalt can heat up to 55ºC. Likewise, this material is characterized by being waterproof, so water ends up diverting into sewer systemsreducing humidity levels in cities.
On the contrary, the material they have begun to use is characterized by its porosity, which allows water to reach the ground, aquifers to form and a evaporation effect that will reduce temperatures. Although this is not the only change that will be experienced in the streets of Marrakech and Agadir, it is part of a transformation process that includes urban reforestation and digital risk monitoring.
According to scientists from the University of Granada, planting certain types of trees in urban centers can reduce up to 3.5 ºC its temperature, reports EFE. This makes it one of the most essential tools in the fight against the heat island effect in large cities. Therefore, its implementation in the urban planning projects of these Moroccan cities turns the country into a reference for sustainable urbanism.
Barcelona City Council also plans to use a more sustainable alternative
However, they are not the only cities that are going to begin replacing asphalt with other materials. Last July, Barcelona City Council announced its intention to pave some of its streets with a component made from olive pits. A novel technique based on mixing asphalt with charcoal with the aim of making it absorb greenhouse gases.
The selection of olive pits for the manufacture of this material is due to the fact that olive trees, during their growth period, are characterized by absorb carbon dioxide naturally. Observing this behavior, scientists began to experiment with its implementation on asphalt, discovering that even improved its resistance to sudden changes in temperature and reduced the possibility of cracks.
For all these reasons, it seems that the change from asphalt to other sustainable alternatives is becoming an upward trend in those cities that aim to reduce the negative effects that rising temperatures are causing. Measures that will be increasingly necessary, both for improve the quality of life and well-being of citizens who reside in urban centers, and to improve the useful life of infrastructure and materials.