This is how Freising could defy the heat: trees and streams as natural cooling

Created: 07/20/2022, 08:00

Andrea Brandl from the city planning office explained the hotspots of the cathedral city.

© Fox

During an information walk through Lerchenfeld, experts explained something future-oriented: how Freising could get through the hot years of the future.

Freising

– Weather extremes are becoming more and more common in Germany.

Urban areas are particularly affected by climate change.

In order to illustrate this problem, the city of Freising invited to a joint climate walk in Lerchenfeld.

In keeping with the theme, the weather at the weekend was hot like summer.

Experts guided interested citizens with a supply of chilled water and pointed out "hotspots" in the truest sense of the word.

Cities need to be prepared for climate change

The aim of the afternoon was to clarify the problem of the enormous heat stress in cities and to present the "Climate Adaptation Concept 2050".

This concept should help to prepare cities for climate change.

Both heat and heavy rain will have to be expected more frequently in the future - "to be able to deal with it, new strategies and structures are required," explained city master builder Barbara Schelle.

You can find more current news from the district of Freising at Merkur.de/Freising.

When it came to heat, the forecast for the city of Freising shone red: A simulation was used to develop forecasts for particularly hot spots in the city area.

"Currently you can still find green spots where you can linger even on hot days," explained landscape and open space planner Christoph Tauscher to Freisingers: "In the future, however, there will be fewer and fewer cool spots on summer days."

A hotspot is in the middle of Lerchenfeld

A hot example is in the middle of the Lerchenfeld district: the soccer field on Erdinger Straße.

"Such open lawns heat up almost as much as sealed surfaces," said Tauscher.

The most effective way to counteract the phenomenon are trees.

"Planting trees is a major part of our climate adaptation concept," Tauscher explained further: "Existing tree populations must also be preserved." Water also plays a major role when it comes to regulating temperatures in cities: This is how the swimming pool moat has an effect the area like a natural cooling.

The swimming pool moat in Lerchenfeld acts as a natural cooling system for the surrounding area, the experts explained.

© Lehmann

The walk was accompanied by a thermal imaging camera, which once again illustrated the seriousness of the situation: while it was already 36 degrees on the green areas in the blazing sun, an astonishing 45 degrees could be measured on the asphalt in Erdinger Straße.

Another point to be prepared for in the future is increasing heavy rain.

Nick Bowhsher is an expert in this area.

During the walk, he explained that “particularly in residential areas that are in a depression”, relief must be provided.

For this you could lower free areas.

In an emergency, they could absorb more water.

Despite the extensive measures, the city cannot keep climate change away from the cathedral city alone.

One is dependent on “every single citizen”.

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You can find more current news from the district of Freising at Merkur.de/Freising.