The water tunnel allows to analyse heat flows in cities.
Heat waves are increasing worldwide - and that includes Switzerland. Cities in particular suffer as a result: the temperature difference between city and countryside can amount to several degrees. A new water tunnel at Empa could help to alleviate these urban heat islands in the future - for example by cities ensuring lower temperatures locally through vegetation, water surfaces and brighter materials and creating space for wind to aerate cities better. April 2018 showed temperatures in Switzerland that are usually more common in May - and in May the weather was already reminiscent of midsummer. This is no longer an exception. Year after year the heat records are being broken. Cities suffer much more from the heat waves than the surrounding countryside: the temperature differences between urban zones and the surrounding green areas can be as high as several degrees.
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