Global Warming Presents Urban Planning Challenge Across Europe

Recent heatwaves have brought unbearable temperatures to the European continent. A survey of the leaders of a selected group of major European cities reveals that municipalities are aware of the dangers that extreme summer temperatures pose. The architecture firm Paulinyi & Partners, a contracted partner of the European Space Agency (ESA), is leveraging satellite Earth observation data and collaborating with local authorities to develop a solution to create cooler, more liveable neighbourhoods in the near future.

Rising temperatures are among the most pressing threats to human health resulting from climate change, as highlighted by the European Union's Climate-ADAPT platform. The issue affects the entire continent, influenced by geography and exacerbated by the urban heat island (UHI) effect, which can make summers nearly unbearable in densely populated cities. Maps clearly indicate that the most vulnerable areas, where the UHI effect is strongest, include southern France, Italy, the Balkans, and southern Romania. While Hungary is at medium risk concerning heatwaves, UHI can also increase temperatures in Budapest by up to 6°C.

July 2024 was one of the hottest months on record in Hungary. Urban residents were particularly affected, as temperatures in cities can be several degrees higher than in green areas. With more intense heatwaves expected in the future, residents of numerous European cities face significant health risks. Concrete structures and asphalt surfaces absorb heat more readily than green spaces, leading to significantly higher temperatures.

"The recent heatwave alerts underscore the growing urgency of addressing rising temperatures in major European cities. Our survey indicates that municipalities and property managers recognize the need for action but often lack the necessary tools. As architects, we have a responsibility to help create liveable environments, which is why we are committed to finding solutions. Throughout the year, our experts have been developing our HeatScape Resolve service, supported by ESA, to help manage urban heat islands," said Dr. Gergely Paulinyi, DLA, President and CEO of Paulinyi & Partners Zrt.

HeatScape Resolve is a simulation tool that utilizes Earth observation data to inform strategies for mitigating the UHI effect. Paulinyi & Partners also conducts field measurements in Budapest to complement satellite data, most recently monitoring temperature trends in the 13th district. Data from the latest heatwave in July shows that the proportion of green space directly influences the local microclimate. Probe HSR3, placed in a paved, concrete area, consistently recorded higher temperatures compared to a probe located approximately 400 meters away in a green area.

To develop effective solutions, Paulinyi & Partners consulted several Hungarian, Polish, and Italian municipalities regarding their strategies for reducing urban temperatures. The responses indicate that the most common solutions considered by decision-makers are increasing green spaces and planting trees (76%) and retaining rainwater (59%). However, it is evident that municipalities and real estate developers are also seeking comprehensive approaches to mitigate the impacts of climate change at the municipal level. A total of 17 respondents expressed interest in a simulation process that could help curb the UHI effect.

"Feedback from municipalities reveals a strong interest in the service our team is developing. Our goal, in collaboration with ESA, is to create a detailed proposal that can be integrated into routine urban planning processes in the short term. With HeatScape Resolve, we will be able to offer recommendations for reducing the UHI effect during the project planning phase, even at the district level," said Roland Németh, Project Manager at Paulinyi & Partners Innovations, the team leading the project.

Paulinyi & Partners will present its latest innovations and a study on how to reduce the UHI effect to an international audience of professionals at the URBIS 24 Conference in Rome this September. The presentation will be delivered by Dr. Réka Sárközi, a specialist at Paulinyi & Partners and the author of the study. The firm's experts will also be presenting at the International Astronautical Congress in Milan on 14 October 2024.

Record Number of Hikers Celebrated Fjällräven's Anniversary Tour

This year marks the tenth anniversary of Fjällräven Hiking Tour, a hiking event that combines the best traditions of hiking in Hungary with the Swedish Fjällräven Classic concept. To celebrate the milestone, 161 hikers from all over Europe gathered in the Bükk Mountains to hike the trails they first explored at the inaugural event in 2014. In addition to hiking, participants actively helped to clean up the environment by collecting 45 kg of waste along the trails. This initiative also reflects Fjällräven's traditional commitment to nature conservation.

From 19 to 23 August 2024, the five-day anniversary hike covered a challenging 100-kilometre route through the breathtaking scenery of the Bükk Mountains. Despite the strenuous trekking, averaging around 20 kilometres a day, the hikers kept their spirits up and took part in a freshly served dinner and special activities every evening. Highlights included practical trekking tips from Fjällräven's Hungarian brand ambassadors, a presentation on injury prevention by movement therapist Dorka Kárpáti, and a geological insight into the natural beauty of the region. A highlight was the 10th anniversary celebration, for which the organisers also prepared a spectacular cake. When the participants reached the finish line on the last day of the tour, the tour ended with a small festival celebrating the adventures of the past decade.

"The Fjällräven Hiking Tour aims to create a strong cross-border community of hikers who together can enjoy unforgettable experiences. That's why, year after year, we organise interesting lectures and special activities after each trekking day to recharge participants for the next day. I think this has been the best Fjällräven Hiking Tour ever and I am very happy that we have celebrated the 10th anniversary of this incredible initiative together over the past five days," commented Sanela Krisat, Head of Marketing at Fenix Outdoor Emerging Markets and organizer of Fjällräven Hiking Tour, on the success of the event.

A total of 161 hikers took part in Fjällräven's anniversary trek in the Bükk Mountains, 140 of whom successfully completed the challenging 100-kilometre trek. There were several generations represented: the oldest finisher was 69 years old and the youngest only 14. The international appeal of the event is reflected in the fact that participants came from all over Europe, including Latvia, Germany and Romania.

Every year, the organisers of Fjällräven Hiking Tour place great emphasis on environmental protection and encourage participants to minimise their ecological footprint on the trails and at the campsites. This commitment was also evident in 2024: hikers collectively collected 45 kg of litter in the Bükk Mountains, with the most active hiker collecting a total of 7.7 kg of litter.

In 2025, Fjällräven Hiking Tour will once again invite hikers to explore the Balaton Highlands. Detailed information about next year's Fjällräven Hiking Tour in the Lake Balaton Highlands can be found at https://fjallraven-vandortura.hu/bukk-hegyseg/.

How to Protect Food Deliveries During Heat Waves

Maintaining the cold temperature during the delivery of chilled and frozen food and pharmaceuticals can be ensured by predicting, monitoring and analysing temperature parameters and route data in real time, according to DODO, the experts in smart logistics solutions. The company has recently invested nearly 40 million HUF to reduce the ecological footprint of its transport refrigeration processes. The innovation, which replaces the use of dry ice, reduces the carbon dioxide emissions associated with keeping temperatures low by at least 150 tonnes per year.

The summer months bring increasingly hot weather and longer heat waves: July 2024 was the hottest July on record in Hungary since 1901, with an average temperature of 24.53°C, 3 degrees above the average July temperature between 1991 and 2020. There has also been a spectacular increase in the length of heat waves, with July this year being the longest, most intense and highest temperature period ever. Large cities are particularly affected by summer heatwaves, as paving materials used to build roads and houses absorb much more heat than natural surfaces. In Hungary, 72% of the population live in cities and more than two thirds (69.7%) regularly use the internet for shopping, which means that goods ordered have to be delivered in the metropolitan areas most affected by heat waves, which poses new challenges for the delivery of chilled goods.

Both for food safety and the usability of other products requiring refrigeration, such as medicines, it is essential to maintain a controlled temperature logistic chain. To this end, DODO, which specialises in last-kilometre, same-day delivery, uses innovative solutions that enable it to predict and continuously monitor in real time the external temperature, expected delivery times, road traffic information and the capacities corresponding to the refrigeration needs of each product.

Relying on its proprietary data-driven platform, the smart logistics provider can guarantee that the optimal temperature for the transport of chilled or frozen goods is ensured even during prolonged extreme heat waves. Couriers carefully measure the temperature of goods both when receiving and delivering different items, which is not only important for the safety of maintaining the cold chain, but also to improve data analytics. In addition to foodstuffs requiring refrigeration, DODO also assists its partners in the delivery of over-the-counter medicines, which also require a precisely defined storage temperature.

The smart logistics provider has recently implemented a major improvement to ensure that its refrigeration solutions for the transport of goods have lower emissions than ever before. An investment of nearly 40 million HUF has been made to ensure that the temperature in the cargo hold is kept low by using special deep-frozen "Delta T" refrigeration units. Until now, these units have been used mainly in the pharmaceutical industry for the transport of laboratory samples and various pharmaceutical products. With the introduction of this new process, DODO's door-to-door delivery services will become even more environmentally friendly, as it will result in at least 150 tonnes less carbon dioxide emissions per year compared to the dry ice used previously.

"The increasingly intense summer heat is creating challenges for the transport of goods requiring refrigeration that can be effectively addressed by using data-driven solutions that can predict and analyse multiple parameters simultaneously. Thanks to our latest development, we are able to maintain the cold chain in the hottest time of the year in an environmentally friendly way, with an even lower ecological footprint than before, so that our couriers deliver goods, whether frozen food or pharmaceuticals, at the right temperature every time," said Lukáš Gold, CEO of DODO Hungary.