How hot and humid Singapore is trying to cool itself down | World News,The Indian Express

With the help of “Smarty,” a mobile device that tracks radiation, researchers are trying to tackle the challenge of urban heat through a program that the government says could be a model for other countries.

Written by Sui-Lee Wee

The temperature had reached 86 degrees and was climbing. Humidity measured in at 75%. Sunshine glinted off the tall buildings.

Fourteen volunteers, six climate researchers and a mobile biometeorological cart named “Smarty” prepared to set off for a “heat walk” in the Southeast Asian city-state’s downtown area. The volunteers had strapped on devices to measure their heart rates and the temperature of their skin. Winston Chow, the lead researcher, watched the scene as a sliver of sweat formed on his forehead.

Chow and his team are part of Cooling Singapore, a multi-institutional project that was launched in 2017 with funding from the Singapore government. The project’s current goal is to build a computer model, or “digital urban climate twin,” of Singapore, which would allow policymakers to analyze the effectiveness of various heat mitigation measures before spending money on solutions that might not work. It is research that the Singapore government hopes can be replicated around the world.

“People have always wondered which is the critical component of climate that really affects your discomfort. Is it low wind speed? Is it high air temperatures? Is it high radiation from the sun?” said Chow, an associate professor of science, technology and society at the Singapore Management University.

https://indianexpress.com/article/world/singapore-smarty-radiation-tracking-device-heat-8065716/

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