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Barcelona’s Shade Program Cuts Urban Temperatures by Up to 4 °C

Autumn findings from heatwave monitoring will guide redesigns of materials and layouts to boost thermal comfort in Barcelona’s public spaces.

Overview

  • The city has installed 84 of 194 planned shade zones this year under a €13 million Pla Clima investment covering more than 50 000 m² of outdoor areas
  • Instrumented surveys at around 30 sites using hygrometers, thermal cameras, anemometers, pyranometers, radiometers and black-globe thermometers confirmed a 3–4 °C drop in ambient air under shade
  • Shaded urban furniture elements—including benches, slides, railings and pavement—were on average 15 °C cooler during the early August heatwave
  • Laser thermography in Plaça de les Glòries recorded unshaded playground surfacing at up to 62 °C and metal slides and sunbeds above 46 °C, underlining heat risks
  • A comprehensive autumn analysis will inform adjustments to materials, colors and structure layouts in new and existing playgrounds to enhance thermal comfort