The big heat

As the temperature edges upwards, spending time outdoors becomes an increasingly unattractive option. Or does it? COD looks at ways to mitigate the heat.

Late one night not so long ago, the manager of a cooling solution supplier based in the UAE suddenly received a call from a representative of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

"My tigers are too hot. They are upset, pacing around. Can you come and sort it out? The representative said, the manager tells Commercial Outdoor Design. "I went the next day and set up some misting systems and the tigers were instantly refreshed. One was so keen to stay near the cool, it even leapt up into the air trying to reach one of the nozzles," he recalls.

Of course, it's not just Sheikh Mohammed's tigers that feel uncomfortable in the sweltering temperatures in the Middle East. As temperatures rise as high as 50°C, everyone is looking for ways to stay cool.

For businesses, the hot Middle Eastern summers are potentially disastrous. More than a mere discomfort, they potentially represent a huge loss of investment as carefully created outdoor spaces are shunned by visitors in favour of the air-conditioned comfort of the indoors.

For much of the year, the temperature in the region is over 30°C making outdoor spaces uncomfortable if not unbearable for most people.

For a long time, the solution appeared to be to move people indoors instead, as witnessed by the multiple interior malls in the region, but the huge number of new outdoor projects in the region has marked a turning point in development.

From theme parks to the exterior spaces of new hotels, from green parks to golf courses, the focus now is on the outdoor space, putting prolonged use of the exterior area on every investor's wish list.

You can't change the climate, but what you can do is mitigate it. New product innovations combined with time honoured wisdom mean that with a bit of careful planning and investment, there are ways to beat or at least modify the heat.

Heat island effect

One of the key things at the planning stage is orientation of the sites, says Stephen Oehme, regional director of value management and sustainability at consultancy firm Hyder.

"It's where you site the outdoor spaces, how you treat them, external shading, where you put the plantation, how you allow breeze and air to come in," he says. "A lot of places could be really great but are too stifled because of air movement."

Site orientation includes considering the direction of the sun, the interaction between buildings and the outdoor areas, and exploiting the potential of any natural breezes.