A study has shown how Dubai's skyscrapers create an "urban canyon" cooling effect which can reduce temperatures significantly.
It is enhanced by the fact the city is surrounded by barren desert which heats up much more quickly.
This "urban cool island" effect - in which built-up areas have lower temperatures than surrounding rural districts - is much stronger in Dubai than in other major cities.
Experts believe this effect can make the city as much as 3°C cooler than adjacent desert and results from the study could help in the design of green corridors.
These channels could provide some respite from scorching daytime heat.
“The reason these [urban cool islands] emerge and they’re so dominant is if you go outside the city limits, outside the developed areas of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, you’re in barren desert with very little vegetation,” said Jake Dialesandro, a researcher on the project.
“The areas of desert heat up unbelievably quickly because they’ve a lot of soil and an absence of moisture … They also cool down quicker.”
If you go outside the city limits, you are in barren desert
Urban cool islands are less common than urban heat islands. But after dark, however, the urban heat island takes precedence in Dubai. And the city can be about 2°C warmer than the surrounding desert at night, with the warm waters of the Arabian Gulf said to be partly the reason for this.
Temperatures were measured during day and night in several places in and around 10 urban areas. Just three cities – Dubai, Madrid and Tehran – showed the urban cool island effect, and Dubai’s was the strongest.
Areas with heavy vegetation, such as parks, were typically slightly cooler than adjacent districts, partly because these areas releases water from evaporation and transpiration, processes that use heat and cool the immediate environment.
Initial findings were published in the Environmental Research Communications journal last year and the research project continues, with more results to be released soon.
Another of the paper’s authors, Dr Yaser Abunnasr, from the American University of Beirut, who carried out the UAE fieldwork, said Dubai’s taller buildings created shade that kept temperatures down.
“Many of the skyscrapers in Dubai, they’re mostly made of glass,” he said. “It casts a shadow and reflects a lot of the sun’s energy, [although] sometimes, because of the reflection you’re heating the area around as well.”
The daytime temperature in a shaded “urban canyon” may be 35 °C when surrounding areas have a temperature of 43 °C, said Mr Dialesandro, a postgraduate researcher at the University of California.
“What we’ve found in our research is size and shape of the green space has an impact. If you have a long, linear green space, that will have less of an effect than if you have a large cohesive green space,” said Mr Dialesandro. The cooling effect of such large green spaces extends into adjacent areas that have buildings and roads.
To save water, more native plants could be planted, as they require less water than vegetation from temperate regions.
“One of the things is to use very low water demand trees … [and to] develop a whole network of parks and gardens connected by tree-lined streets,” said Dr Abunnasr.
While native flora is preferred, areas with sparse xeric vegetation – succulent plants like cacti that need little water – warmed more quickly during the daytime, so plants must be chosen carefully.
In a separate study published in June in the journal Climate, researchers in Dubai and Australia found that sea breezes contributed to Dubai's urban cool island effect.
"Several factors could be the cause of negative urban heat island values," the researchers wrote. "In this case, two of the main reasons could be the hot air that, coming from the desert, increases the air temperature in the rural area more than in the urban area and the presence of the sea breeze mitigates the urban overheating when the cold wind blows from the seaside."
The daytime urban cool island effect is typically not seen in temperate regions, where heavily vegetated countryside warms more slowly than urban areas.
Bert van Marwijk factfile
Born: May 19 1952
Place of birth: Deventer, Netherlands
Playing position: Midfielder
Teams managed:
1998-2000 Fortuna Sittard
2000-2004 Feyenoord
2004-2006 Borussia Dortmund
2007-2008 Feyenoord
2008-2012 Netherlands
2013-2014 Hamburg
2015-2017 Saudi Arabia
2018 Australia
Major honours (manager):
2001/02 Uefa Cup, Feyenoord
2007/08 KNVB Cup, Feyenoord
World Cup runner-up, Netherlands
RESULT
Esperance de Tunis 1 Guadalajara 1
(Esperance won 6-5 on penalties)
Esperance: Belaili 38’
Guadalajara: Sandoval 5’
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
World record transfers
1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Dolittle
Director: Stephen Gaghan
Stars: Robert Downey Jr, Michael Sheen
One-and-a-half out of five stars
Pathaan
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What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
England Test squad
Joe Root (captain), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow (wicketkeeper), Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Alastair Cook, Sam Curran, Keaton Jennings, Dawid Malan, Jamie Porter, Adil Rashid, Ben Stokes.
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Thursday (All UAE kick-off times)
Sevilla v Real Betis (midnight)
Friday
Granada v Real Betis (9.30pm)
Valencia v Levante (midnight)
Saturday
Espanyol v Alaves (4pm)
Celta Vigo v Villarreal (7pm)
Leganes v Real Valladolid (9.30pm)
Mallorca v Barcelona (midnight)
Sunday
Atletic Bilbao v Atletico Madrid (4pm)
Real Madrid v Eibar (9.30pm)
Real Sociedad v Osasuna (midnight)
Spider-Man%202
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDeveloper%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Insomniac%20Games%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%20Sony%20Interactive%20Entertainment%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsole%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPlayStation%205%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%205%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
SPECS
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Ticket prices
General admission Dh295 (under-three free)
Buy a four-person Family & Friends ticket and pay for only three tickets, so the fourth family member is free
Buy tickets at: wbworldabudhabi.com/en/tickets
The bio
Favourite food: Japanese
Favourite car: Lamborghini
Favourite hobby: Football
Favourite quote: If your dreams don’t scare you, they are not big enough
Favourite country: UAE
%20Ramez%20Gab%20Min%20El%20Akher
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreator%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ramez%20Galal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ramez%20Galal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStreaming%20on%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMBC%20Shahid%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
'Spies in Disguise'
Director: Nick Bruno and Troy Quane
Stars: Will Smith, Tom Holland, Karen Gillan and Roshida Jones
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
