Urban Shading Guide

In an especially critical context, with the current and future climate known to all, it is urgent and essential to have clear criteria that help municipalities create shaded areas in their public spaces and open facilities. At Lacol, we first approached this topic with the Mar d’ombres prototype, which has since continued with the publication of the**** “Guide for the design of shading systems to reduce the impact of heatwaves in the municipalities of the province of Barcelona.”

The best shade we can find in a public space is that provided by good tree cover, which also brings many other benefits. However, this guide focuses on built shading systems, either due to space limitations (such as underground infrastructures) or temporal needs (where quick or removable shade is required).

The publication has two main interrelated sections: it begins by reviewing criteria to consider for shading each space in the most suitable way, such as its physical characteristics, the type of materials, construction constraints, environmental impact, and integration of the intervention, as well as the inclusion of greenery, water, and biodiversity, among others. Finally, it presents twenty-four examples of completed projects, of various sizes and typologies, which are very useful for evaluating the different possible solutions in each case.

Despite its simplicity, this work is one of the first to address this issue in our context. The guide was developed by BATEC, the Cooperative Hub for the Energy Transition (of which Lacol is a member), for the Barcelona Provincial Council, as part of the support program for municipalities to adapt urban public spaces to the negative impacts of heatwaves. You can consult the document here:

Guide for the design of shading systems to reduce the impact of heatwaves