#3.1 Urban Heat – Material Surfaces
Reducing urban heat in new subdivisions is essential for supporting community health, wellbeing, and climate resilience. The use of appropriate materials and design strategies helps create cooler, safer, and more comfortable public spaces.
The Victorian Planning Provisions include the following objective for urban heat (at 13.01-3S):
- To reduce urban heat and minimise impacts of urban heat on human health and wellbeing.
Strategies include:
- Supporting development that contributes to cooler urban environments.
- Supporting cooling design responses through:
- Planting and maintenance of canopy trees and other vegetation.
- Use of integrated water management.
- Provision of shading for pedestrian walkways.
- Use of permeable surfaces and low heat-absorbing materials, such as green roofs and walls. -Encouraging use of alternative water sources to support canopy tree and vegetation growth.
BESS rewards subdivisions that consider urban heat by:
- Using materials that lower surface temperatures and reduce heat absorption for all open space paving and paths. [https://staging.bess.net.au/admin/sd_engine/sddocumentationmodel/94/change/]
- Using light to medium coloured surfaces for all public realm paving, paths, and sports courts (where applicable). [https://staging.bess.net.au/admin/sd_engine/sddocumentationmodel/95/change/]
- Using light to medium coloured surfaces for all streetscape paving and paths (excluding carriageways). [https://staging.bess.net.au/admin/sd_engine/sddocumentationmodel/96/change/]
- Using low solar absorptance roofs (0.4 or below) for all public realm buildings and shelters. [https://staging.bess.net.au/admin/sd_engine/sddocumentationmodel/97/change/]