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Policy Solution

Cool corridors

Commitment

Case Studies

Summary

Green and blue infrastructure immediately adjacent and parallel to prevailing winds cools corridors. Incorporating additional urban design principles in zoning can be used to optimize natural wind flow for cooling and prevent heat from radiating off of other buildings.

Implementation

Update design guidelines to encourage creation of cool corridors.

Considerations for Use

This is most applicable to new developments and is harder to implement in existing, highly dense areas. Natural landscape features like hills, valleys, or bodies of water can also function as ventilation corridors.

Overview

  • Climate:

    Cold, Hot/Dry, Hot/Humid, Temperate

  • Policy Levers:

    CommitmentGovernments set ambitious goals or targets to guide prioritization and investment.

  • Trigger Points:

    City planning processesIncludes city initiatives such as the development of climate action plan, pathway to zero-energy, master plan, transit plan, energy mapping etc.
    Evaluating or initiating major city infrastructure projectsIncludes projects such as city transit, street or utilities construction / re-construction etc.
    Introducing new or updated zoning/codesIncludes codes, zoning requirements or by-laws pertaining to urban planning and building construction activity.

  • Intervention Types:

    Buildings and Built Form

  • Sectors:

    Buildings, Informal Settlements

Case Studies

Impact

  • Target Beneficiaries:

    Property owners, Residents

  • Phase of Impact:

    Risk reduction and mitigation

  • Metrics:

    Decrease in surface temperature, Energy savings

Implementation

  • Intervention Scale:

    City, District, Neighborhood, Region, Site

  • Authority and Governance:

    City government, State/provincial government

  • Implementation Timeline:

    Medium-term (3-9 Years)

  • Implementation Stakeholders:

    City government, Private developers, State/provincial government

  • Funding Sources:

    Private investment, Public investment

  • Capacity to Act:

    High

Benefits

  • Cost-Benefit:

    High

  • Public Good:

    High

  • GHG Reduction:

    Low

  • Co-benefits (Climate/Environmental):

    Improve stormwater management, Reduce greenhouse gas emissions

  • Co-benefits (Social/Economic):

    Improve the public realm, Save on utilities