Energy and Climate in the Urban Built Environment

10

The role of green spaces

M. Santamouris

Department of Applied Physics, University of Athens

 

 

GENERAL — PHYSICAL PRINCIPLES

Trees and green spaces contribute significantly to cooling our cities and saving energy. Trees can provide solar protection to individual houses during the summer period, while, in addition, evapotranspiration from trees can reduce urban temperatures. In parallel, trees absorb sound and block erosion-causing rainfall, filter dangerous pollutants, reduce wind speed and stabilize soil, and prevent erosion (Figure 10.1). The American Forestry Association estimated that the value of an urban tree is close to $57,000 ...