Nomination calls for Cool Abu Dhabi Challenge

The Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT) of Abu Dhabi invites eligible candidates to participate in a global creative ideas competition to improve outdoor thermal comfort in public spaces by mitigating the impact of the Urban Heat Island Effect in the city.

Challenge 

Throughout the year, Abu Dhabi experiences a wide range of thermal stress levels typically between ‘comfortable’ (9–26°C) to ‘extreme heat stress’ (above 46°C). The majority of ‘very strong heat stress’ (38–46°C) and ‘extreme heat stress’ (above 46°C) occurs between April and October with the most comfortable conditions occurring between October to April. While it is highly desirable to improve thermal comfort throughout the year, this competition requires the respondents to focus on the shoulder months of May and October for their interventions.

For public space comfort, ‘moderate heat stress’ (27–32°C) is considered acceptable. It is important to note that temperatures above are not air temperature, but the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) equivalent temperatures; air temperatures are typically lower than the UTCI. UTCI provides a means of illustrating thermal stress through a scale that measures the heat or cold stress. It is based on a combination of weather variables (Mean Radiant Temperature, Dry Bulb Temperature, Relative Humidity, and Wind Velocity), the clothing insulation value and the metabolic rate based on the type of activity taking place.

The prize-winning competition entries shall holistically address the above challenges, more specifically Heat Island Effect through design, engineering, scientific, anthropological, and material and planting propositions. While maximizing passive means is desirable, the organizer strongly encourages the rational use of efficient active and mechanical systems for public space comfort.

Climate sensitive and people-centric approaches should form the core focus of the design. In addition to the technical dimension of the intervention, and its aesthetics should also drive people’s desire to interact and occupy public space.

Who can submit entries?

The Cool Abu Dhabi Challenge is open to all; but is specifically looking for designers, architects, engineers, landscape architects, material scientists, educators, researchers, students, artists and/or inter-disciplinary teams from across the globe, to contribute. The winning entries will represent the most original and innovative ideas that attempt to reduce Heat Island Effect in a prototypical urban site in Abu Dhabi through design interventions or material and scientific innovations. Entries are not limited to architectural design interventions and are encouraged to work across scales, technologies, systems, and materials.

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