DAVAO CITY (PIA) -- According to the study titled "Urban Heat Island Effect Assessment of Public Spaces in Davao based on Citizen Science," the cooler outdoor places in downtown Davao City are tree-shaded parks and green spaces.

The study reveals that the "coolest" outdoor area is in Marfori Park (Davao City Botanical Garden) which registered daytime reading of 38.1 degrees Celsius with its closed canopy space (tree shaded) having 35.1 degrees Celsius temperature.

This is compared to average temperatures of areas with non-permeable paved space (Hardly Built) which registered temperatures beyond 40 degrees Celsius. Green shaded or canopied space particularly found in parks have temperatures below normal human body temperature of 37 degrees Celsius.

The UHI study conducted by IDIS (Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability) aims to study the effect of UHI in the city’s public spaces.

Environmental Planner Lemuel Manalo, program coordinator of IDIS said that to mitigate the impact of UHI they are pushing for national and local policies in the city.

“For local regulations, first we need to pass a ordinance we entitled it as a local green building ordinance of Davao City this is still a proposal as it was proposed by Councilor Mahipius Sr. in 2018,” Manalo said.

He said the proposed ordinance did not passed into a law and they wanted it to be revived as it would entail structures in Davao City including smaller scale commercial establishments to adopt green building standards. (RGA/PIA XI)