Mega initiative of rooftop gardens and extensive greening to save Dhaka from ‘Urban Heat Island’
Due to unplanned urbanization, lack of wetlands, and excessive carbon emissions from vehicles, the capital Dhaka is rapidly turning into an intense ‘urban heat island’ or heat island region.
To address the growing heat and serious impacts of climate change, the Public Works Department of Bangladesh and environmental groups have teamed up to take various actions to cool down Dhaka.
Steps and environmental strategies: To reduce the temperature of Dhaka to a tolerable level and transform it into a livable green city, several important plans are being implemented:
- Use of green building materials: no burnt bricks or regular bricks are used in construction anymore. The focus is now on solid blocks, hollow blocks, and eco-friendly non-burnt bricks. In addition, it is recommended to use special glass (such as DGU and tempered glass) that reduces heat radiation in buildings.
- Big Tree Planting Project: to help with climate change, the aim is to plant 250 million trees in the next five years. Native fruit, forest, and medicinal trees are going into Dhaka’s road islands, paths, and empty lots. Rooftop gardens are being created on high-rise buildings, both new and old. There is also a push for plants on building walls. This will reduce heat in urban areas.
Green Page perspective: City residents joining in is key to making Dhaka a green city like Singapore, Seoul, or Tokyo, along with the government program. Only proper implementation of these long-term plans can protect Dhaka from extreme heat.
