Green tram tracks cut heat and beautify cities. Why isn’t Australia doing it? |
Cities are hotter than the surrounding countryside. Paved surfaces such as asphalt and concrete trap heat and release it at night. But as climate change worsens, this is becoming a real risk for residents.
Researchers are racing to find ways to protect urban residents from rising temperatures and pollution. As recent research shows, there’s no single fix for urban heat. Different places need different solutions, from tree canopies to cool roofs to reflective pavements.
Taming urban heat doesn’t necessarily require extravagant ideas such as air-conditioned footpaths. Some of the most effective tools are simple adjustments to infrastructure we already have, using nature to cool cities down with vegetation, soil and water.
One promising solution is hiding in plain sight: our tram tracks (particularly the many sections that run on their own corridors, separated from traffic). Cities around the world have been greening their tram corridors by replacing concrete with grass or low vegetation.
The idea is not new – grass-covered tram tracks date back to Berlin in 1905 – but has seen a resurgence since the 1980s. And the results are surprisingly effective.
A green tram track replaces the usual concrete around tram rails with a layer of healthy vegetation. Many cities use grasses or species of sedum, a genus of drought-resistant succulents able to survive in extreme conditions such as heat, low water and constant vibration.
The plants sit on a thin substrate designed to hold moisture and drain excess water, essentially turning part of the tram corridor into green infrastructure.
These systems are typically used on sections........