This project concerns a consortium for knowledge sharing/research between TU Delft (IDE Faculty) and the Netherlands Red Cross for the purpose of developing a co-creation approach to resolving complex humanitarian problems. We focus on design for adaption and community resilience to the phenomena of urban heatwaves—prolonged periods of excessive heat in city environments.
A heatwave can be defined as a three-day mean temperature that is significantly above average temperatures of a region for the time of year1. There is a clear correlation between urban heatwaves, periods of excessive heat and high humidity, and national mortality rates (See Figure 2). Yet because urban heatwaves do not leave a trail of visible destruction like earthquakes, tsunamis and pandemics, these crises are often termed ‘silent-killers’.
Urbanisation, climate change, wealth disparity and an aging population mean that the veracity to which heatwaves effect society will increase leading to increased humanitarian risks and needs. There is now acknowledgment amongst the medical, climatic and humanitarian community that novel approaches to the development of strategies to mitigate the devastating effects of urban heatwaves are required2. The Netherlands Red Cross in collaboration the International Red Cross are increasingly focused on urban heatwaves as an identified humanitarian problem3.