Across the globe, temperatures are rising at an alarming rate, with ecosystems, weather patterns, and daily life feeling the impact. In recent decades, average temperatures have steadily increased, fuelled by greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation. In fact, the 10 hottest years on record have all occurred since 2010, and by 2022, global surface temperatures had surpassed last century’s average of 13.9 degrees Celsius by 0.86 degrees. While these numbers may seem modest, their effects are substantial, disrupting ecosystems and intensifying the challenges faced by urban environments across the world.
Heat waves, in particular, have become a serious concern worldwide. Extreme heat events have not only increased in frequency but are also lasting longer and becoming more intense.
As the world’s most populous nation, India faces unique challenges. With rapid urbanisation and growing economic affluence, energy demands are skyrocketing – particularly for cooling and thermal comfort. Our constructed landscape becomes a significant factor than ever in mitigating these effects.
At Palava City, we recognise these global challenges and are taking proactive steps to combat them. From the very beginning, sustainability has been a guiding principle in our urban planning, not as an afterthought but as an integral part of our vision. One of the cornerstones of this approach has been our focus on optimising architectural and design elements to reduce energy consumption and heat retention.
Here are some of the key strategies we’ve implemented to keep Palava cooler:
- Through thoughtful design choices like optimising building orientation, utilising energy-efficient glass, and prioritising natural ventilation, we’ve made significant strides in reducing energy consumption and heat retention.
- One recent project at Palava features high-performance single-layer glass that minimises heat gain while keeping indoor spaces naturally cooler.
- The layout of Palava’s city blocks is designed to encourage natural airflow. Wide streets and well-planned open spaces help to channel breezes through the city, enhancing cooling effects and reducing reliance on air conditioning. Additionally, we’ve used reflective rooftop materials on many buildings to prevent excessive heat absorption, further contributing to cooler indoor environments.
- Unlike many urban areas dominated by concrete, Palava is characterised by lush green spaces and extensive tree canopies. These green areas not only provide shade and cool the surroundings but also help absorb carbon dioxide, making Palava’s air cleaner. Our reforestation efforts have resulted in over 32,000 trees planted across the city, creating a green oasis that naturally combats the urban heat island effect.
- With our reforestation efforts, we’ve achieved a remarkable milestone of over 32000 trees planted at Palava, a sustainable development.
As a result, average temperature in Palava is 3 degrees cooler than Kalyan-Dombivli and 2 degrees lower than that of Mumbai as observed in a study conducted in 2023 by RMI.
Additionally, the AQI is also lower at Palava City than it is in Mumbai. Palava’s AQI falls under the good category (0-50 AQI) for approximately 50% of the time in a year, as compared to Mumbai (reading recorded in Worli) which is 25% of the time.Palava maintains an AQI below 100 (Satisfactory AQI) for 350 days a year (96% of the time), significantly outperforming Mumbai (215 days, 59% of the time)
Additionally, energy usage patterns from 10,000 Palava households revealed that the median energy performance index (EPI) is 35% lower than the industry benchmark for similar climates, showcasing the efficiency of our design.
Palava serves as a model for sustainable urbanisation. With over 2 lacs residents, it functions as a dynamic living laboratory, offering us valuable performance data and resident insights.
This constant stream of information enables us to refine our sustainability practices, keeping Palava at the forefront of eco-friendly urban development.
As global warming continues to challenge cities worldwide, Palava’s approach serves as a beacon of what is possible when sustainability is placed at the heart of urban planning. Through small but impactful measures, we are proving that thoughtful design and a commitment to nature can make a big difference in keeping our cities cool and our environment healthy.
Moreover, the learnings we gain here extend beyond Palava, providing insights that can benefit the larger urban landscape, paving the way for smarter, greener cities across the country.