Integrating public and private domains for a cooler city

Reducing the build-up of heat and improving liveability in Darwin requires an integrated approach between the built environment in both the private and public domains, which considers how different spaces are used and connected.

Building features can work together with public space to help shade the streetscape and create an inviting public domain. Generous awnings in retail areas can provide shade and connect with complementary structures to improve thermal comfort and improve liveability.

Part of the charm and character of Darwin streetscapes is the variety of conditions that present, particularly in relation to landscape. Future controls should enable and encourage this diversity. On active streets, tenancies often wrap around established trees or are otherwise set back. These higher activity streets typically have some form of structural shade / shelter, but it is not necessarily similar in scale and format to that provided by its neighbours. In addition to balcony and building projections there are other opportunities to cool the city and improve liveability.

Opportunities in Darwin

Walkways and sky-bridges

Well-ventilated and shaded walkways, including sky-bridges between buildings, can provide a way to improve pedestrian connectivity and comfort in moving between areas in the CBD. Ventilation of walkways can be achieved by aligning them parallel to the prevailing winds, while they can also be shaded to improve outdoor thermal comfort for pedestrians.

Street canyons

The geometry and orientation of streets can be designed to maximise shading and airflow that can help to release the heat accumulated in the city improving thermal comfort for pedestrians, while also reducing building energy demand for cooling. Wider streets, relative to the height of surrounding buildings, which are orientated for cooling breezes can help to improve airflow. While, narrow street canyons can help to provide shade they also trap accumulated heat. Shallow street canyons will require tree shading to increase the outdoor thermal comfort.

Key points

• Integrated approach between the built environment in both the private and public domains can help to reduce the accumulation of heat in the city to both improve outdoor thermal comfort and building energy demand
• Shaded walkways that are orientated for cooling breezes can improve pedestrian comfort and connectivity
• Wide streets can improve airflow that can help to release the heat accumulated in the city improving thermal comfort for pedestrians, while also reducing building energy demand
• Tree shading can help to improve the outdoor thermal comfort

Further Information

CRC for Low Carbon Living – Guide to Urban Cooling Strategies 2017