The final conference of the European project “BE READY – Urban Heat Islands: Sustainability, Preparedness and Mitigation Strategy” held recently in Chisinau discussed this phenomenon and ways to counteract it.
The project is funded by the European Union under the Interreg Danube Region 2021-2027 program and is implemented at the local level by the General Department of Architecture, Urban Planning and Land Use of Chisinau City Hall.
The initiative brings together 19 partners from 12 countries of the region and includes the implementation of pilot projects in 10 European cities, including Chisinau.
Green against concrete and asphalt
The BE READY project was launched in January 2024 and will end in June 2026. It is implemented to prevent, manage and reduce the consequences of the phenomenon of “heat islands”, which has a negative impact not only on the comfort of citizens, but also on their health.
The urban heat island effect is a consequence of many factors. Concrete and asphalt cause the air to cool more slowly. Tall buildings and narrow streets block air movement, and traffic and industrial emissions also heat up the air and create a local greenhouse effect.
Cities can take a number of measures to combat this effect. These include creating open areas – “wind corridors” for air movement, designing green roofs and facades, water management and planting trees that serve as natural “air conditioners”.
Chisinau has identified vulnerabilities and solutions
The participation of Chisinau municipality in the BE READY project allowed analyzing vulnerabilities and identifying solutions to reduce the urban heat effect. The municipality has developed a local action plan and relevant pilot projects.
The conference was attended by representatives of the EU Delegation to Moldova, the Ministry of Environment, local authorities of partner cities, scientific institutions, international organizations and experts.
The participants presented the results of the project, tools for analyzing and managing this phenomenon, as well as the accumulated experience of the cities. Discussions focused on how to introduce these measures into urban planning strategies and programs.
In Chisinau, the project analyzed districts, organized workshops with specialists and representatives of the local community to identify possible solutions, and developed a local action plan for 2026-2028.
One of the project results was the creation of an educational pavilion in one of the kindergartens, built with environmentally friendly materials, which demonstrates practical solutions for adaptation to high temperatures and green spaces.
