PREVENTION OF URBAN HEAT WAVES BY USING PLANNING TOOLS: TORBALI EXAMPLE
Authors: Erdoğan Gizem , Simsar Serdar , Kardoğan Gamze , Gündoğdu Begüm , Kaya Yaşar Doğukan , Parıltı Ceren 
Published: June 2024

Climate crisis is a modern era problem that is mainly attributed to human activities. It alludes to severe and abrupt changes in climate brought on by an increase in different gases in the atmosphere, such as drought, desertification, and unequal precipitation. The main factors causing this crisis include greenhouse gases, fossil fuels, agriculture and farming activities, population growth and construction. Rapid urban development caused by population growth can increase climatic threats by accelerating the loss of green space. At the same time, carbon emissions, which increase in proportion to the growing population, are also a part of this crisis. Increasing carbon emissions and ecosystem weakness in urban areas trigger an environment where heat waves are frequently experienced. Urban heat waves usually occur in densely populated cities, where hot and humid weather conditions are prolonged and intense. This is defined as an increase in the daily maximum temperature by 5°C or more above the average temperature recorded for a year for 5 consecutive days. Increasing temperatures under the influence of urban heat waves can bring serious health risks for people. High temperatures cause health problems such as dehydration, dehydration, sunstroke and are especially dangerous for vulnerable groups such as cardiovascular elderly and children. In addition, the environmental impacts of these air waves cannot be ignored. Warming air can reduce air quality and lead to increased air pollution. The increase in energy demand can increase the risk of power outages and increase energy consumption, further deepening environmental impacts.
Urban heat waves are triggered by environmental factors, climate change and human interactions in urban areas. This becomes more pronounced as urban areas are covered with thermally absorbent surfaces, especially materials such as asphalt and concrete, which increase temperatures more, and this effect is defined as "urban heat island". Heat waves are experienced more intensely especially in metropolitan areas. It is important for cities and local governments to take measures to combat climate change and protect public health. Protecting green areas, increasing open spaces, and integrating sustainability principles into urban planning are critical in mitigating the effects of urban heat waves. In this context, among the effective factors to prevent heat waves, providing air flow throughout the city and creating sufficient shade, reducing carbon emissions, turning to renewable energy sources, recycling hard-to-degrade wastes, and promoting public transport systems are the most important tools to help reduce the effects of urban heat waves. The aim of this study is to examine whether planning tools can be used to build resilience against urban heat waves, a common problem in metropolises. For this purpose, the province of Izmir, the metropolis with the third largest population in Turkey, has been selected. It is aimed to create an urban planning approach that provides resistance to heat waves in Torbalı Central district, which attracts attention with its organised industrial zones and high-speed rail system connections in İzmir province. Future research is expected to be able to benefit from the study's model application. It is foreseen that this model can be used in more detailed and realistic studies with full-time data and can contribute to urban heat waves-oriented planning processes.
In order to develop a strategic planning approach for urban settlements, it is proposed to work at the Master Plan scale. In this planning process, the functional identities of the land pieces, zone types and the sizes and development directions of the settlement areas were emphasised. The Master Plan has been accepted as a principled document that determines the basic decisions for the Torbalı settlement to have a resilient structure against urban heat waves. Spatial analytical data compiled through geographical information systems were used to create the problem definition at this scale. Torbalı Central district has been rebuilt with heat wave resistance in mind, in accordance with the Principles on the Construction of Spatial Plans of the Regulation on the Construction of Spatial Plans (Mekânsal Plan Yapım Yönetmeliği Mekânsal Planların Yapımına Dair Esasları). The new urban design is based on three main components: green areas, transport circulation system and population density. This strategy aims to provide protection against heat waves while meeting the requirements of the Master PlanThe study's findings will provide the Torbalı/Merkez district with measures to avert heat waves and strengthen its resistance to them. The new urban configuration includes holistic social facilities and urban infrastructures with balanced population densities. This holistic strategic spatial plan demonstrates that urban planning tools can be an effective instrument for building adaptation and resilience to heat waves.