Municipalities must start preparing buildings for extreme weather according to architects

Prague – According to architects, Czech cities and municipalities must start preparing public buildings for extreme weather events, such as recurring heat waves, drought, heavy rainfall, and strong winds. They should focus, for example, on ensuring that public spaces have fewer overheated surfaces and more trees and shade. It is also important to utilize greenery on rooftops, walls, or balconies, and to introduce elements for water retention. The Czech Chamber of Architects (ČKA) communicated this to ČTK in a press release. The Chamber also urged local governments, municipal and city organizations, and candidates in local elections to prioritize the preparation of settlements for extreme weather events.

According to architects, cities and municipalities currently need a systematic plan to prepare for and manage heat waves and other extreme weather fluctuations. How they respond to weather changes will impact the quality of life and safety of residents, the protection of public property, and the long-term resilience of settlements. "It is during the project preparation phase, when the assignment is being created, that it is decided whether the building and its surroundings will be able to handle not only regular use but also heat waves, heavy rainfall, drought, power outages, or strong winds," stated Lukáš Janáč, a member of the ČKA working group for sustainability.

According to ČKA, local governments should build more water features and accessible bathing areas or limit heat islands in large areas. Public buildings should be designed to also serve as centers of crisis resilience, having their own sources of energy, water, and basic facilities for residents. Architects believe that the resilience of buildings to heat, drought, and heavy rainfall should be examined, while simultaneously caring for the surrounding landscape, which naturally protects against these weather events, and supporting transportation that is less burdensome on the atmosphere and does not contribute to the overheating of cities.

According to the Chamber, building resilience should become part of the public debate before local elections. Politicians and public figures should have plans for how public spaces, buildings, and infrastructure can better withstand heat, drought, and crisis situations, including who will coordinate these efforts and how they will reflect in investments. "It is not enough to talk generally about the climate. Municipalities, their organizations, and candidates for local elections should clearly state how they want to prepare public spaces, buildings, and infrastructure for heat, drought, and other extreme weather events," stated Petr Lešek, chairman of the ČKA working group for sustainability.

In recent days, the Czech Republic has been hit by strong heat, with a new temperature record of 41.9 degrees Celsius set over the weekend. Although it began to cool down in the Czech Republic after the historically hottest weekend, strong storms with hail and wind also emerged. The storms knocked down trees, and thousands of households temporarily lost electricity.