Rome to trial giant 'bioclimatic tree' to tackle urban heat

Water-based cooling structure could lower temperatures by up to 10 degrees in Piazza dei Cinquecento. Rome's city council is evaluating a novel cooling installation designed to lower temperatures by around 10 degrees, in one of the capital's most sun-exposed public squares, in front of Termini station. The project, known as the "Albero Bioclimatico" or bioclimatic tree, relies on a principle known as adiabatic cooling, whereby the evaporation of water absorbs heat from the surrounding air, cooling it without the need for electric compressors or motors. Cooling system Inside the structure, a cylinder made of recycled brick is kept constantly damp; as hot air passes through the wet material, the water evaporates, drawing heat out of the air, which is then channelled downward to create a cooler microclimate at ground level. The bioclimatic tree was designed by Wittfrida Mitterer, director of the bioarchitecture master's programme at Lumsa Master School, in collaboration with climate engineering firm Transsolar and Stuttgart-based architecture practice Haas Cook Zemmrich. The installation, whose evaporation concept was known to the ancient Egyptians, was donated to Rome's city administration by Lumsa University to mark the Jubilee year. It was originally conceived for Piazza del Risorgimento, near the Vatican, before planners settled on Piazza dei Cinquecento, an area identified for its high solar exposure, constant pedestrian flow and existing use for temporary installations and public events. Location and cost Under the plans, the structure would be sited in the square's northern pedestrian area, close to the new entrances to Metro Line B and the taxi rank. The sprawling site was recently repaved for the Jubilee Year and almost all of its pine trees were cut down, making it particularly prone to the urban heat island effect. Rome's environment councillor Sabrina Alfonsi described the project as particularly innovative and promising for a city grappling with global warming and rising temperatures, adding that technical and financial assessments are under way to cover the installation's estimated cost of around €500,000. Christian Rocchi, president of the Rome architects' association, said the project underlined both the growing necessity of climate technology in urban design and the importance of building such elements into redevelopment schemes from the outset, rather than adding them later. Photo credit: Fondazione Bioarchitettura

WIRE — Water-based cooling structure could lower temperatures by up to 10 degrees in Piazza dei Cinquecento. Rome's city council is evaluating a novel cooling installation designed to lower temperatures by around 10 degrees, in one of the capital's most sun-exposed public squares, in front of Termini station. The project, known as the "Albero Bioclimatico" or bioclimatic tree, relies on a principle known as adiabatic cooling, whereby the evaporation of water absorbs heat from the surrounding air, cooling it without the need for electric compressors or motors. Cooling system Inside the structure, a cylinder made of recycled brick is kept constantly damp; as hot air passes through the wet material, the water evaporates, drawing heat out of the air, which is then channelled downward to create a cooler microclimate at ground level. The bioclimatic tree was designed by Wittfrida Mitterer, director of the bioarchitecture master's programme at Lumsa Master School, in collaboration with climate engineering firm Transsolar and Stuttgart-based architecture practice Haas Cook Zemmrich. The installation, whose evaporation concept was known to the ancient Egyptians, was donated to Rome's city administration by Lumsa University to mark the Jubilee year. It was originally conceived for Piazza del Risorgimento, near the Vatican, before planners settled on Piazza dei Cinquecento, an area identified for its high solar exposure, constant pedestrian flow and existing use for temporary installations and public events. Location and cost Under the plans, the structure would be sited in the square's northern pedestrian area, close to the new entrances to Metro Line B and the taxi rank. The sprawling site was recently repaved for the Jubilee Year and almost all of its pine trees were cut down, making it particularly prone to the urban heat island effect. Rome's environment councillor Sabrina Alfonsi described the project as particularly innovative and promising for a city grappling with global warming and rising temperatures, adding that technical and financial assessments are under way to cover the installation's estimated cost of around €500,000. Christian Rocchi, president of the Rome architects' association, said the project underlined both the growing necessity of climate technology in urban design and the importance of building such elements into redevelopment schemes from the outset, rather than adding them later. Photo credit: Fondazione Bioarchitettura

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