AI is planning green oases: This is how Mainz and Stuttgart should become cooler!

AI is planning green oases: This is how Mainz and Stuttgart should become cooler!

Climate change is progressing rapidly, especially in urban areas such as Mainz and Stuttgart. Innovative ideas have now seen the light of day that are not only aesthetically appealing, but also offer practical solutions to the current climate challenges. An AI has developed tailor-made suggestions for greening Gutenbergplatz in Mainz and the market square in Stuttgart. Both places struggle with high temperatures in summer, which are exacerbated by sealed surfaces and the heat given off by surrounding buildings. Loud tagesschau.de In the future, stately trees, flowering beds, an innovative solar system and green facades will brighten up the cityscape and lower temperatures at Gutenbergplatz.

Architecture professor Bernhard Lenz assesses the proposals as “very nice and green”. But he has concerns about the viability of these measures. After all, there has been a climate adaptation law in Germany since July 1, 2024, which encourages municipalities to actively address the consequences of heat and heavy rain. Rhineland-Palatinate plans to implement its own climate adaptation strategy by the beginning of 2027. Meanwhile, cities in Baden-Württemberg are already working on their own concepts.

Financing and challenges in greening

Financing remains a key problem for implementing greening. Many municipalities are demanding more financial resources in order to successfully adapt to the consequences of global warming. The challenges cannot be underestimated: planting new trees often has to contend with existing infrastructure such as water and power lines, which quickly becomes problematic in urban areas. Lenz suggests alternatives, such as special evaporation systems and awnings, which not only provide shade but can also help cool you down.

Stuttgart is taking a similar approach. Here too, the AI ​​presents suggestions for greening the marketplace, including green facades and green roofs. Green roofs have numerous advantages, such as cooling the environment and retaining rainwater, says Lenz, but it does not bring the hoped-for benefits for passers-by. The city is aiming to cover up to 30% of the facades on its own buildings with greenery, but is faced with many hurdles: irrigation systems, the attraction of animals and fire safety issues are causing headaches for the responsible planners.

Practical solutions to combat the heat

Climate-friendly alternatives are also on the agenda to improve the urban climate. Loud Umweltbundesamt.de Greening is a cost-effective and effective way to adapt cities to climate change. Lush green spaces not only help purify the air, but also offer opportunities for citizens to relax and protect against flooding. It is important that green areas are sealed as little as possible.

The issue is not just local, but reflects an overarching problem that affects many cities in Germany. According to the bpb.de Living conditions in cities are changing dramatically due to climate change. Heat-resistant road surfaces and the renaturation of floodplain forests require increasing investments, but they are essential if we want to make our living space future-proof.