Susana Viegas urges Portugal to create air-conditioned cooling rooms for heatwaves

Air-conditioned cooling rooms for heatwaves in Portugal

Environmental health specialist Susana Viegas argued on Tuesday that Portugal should provide air-conditioned rooms where people can cool down during heatwaves, following the example already in place in Spain.

"Having air-conditioned spaces, not only in urban areas but also in rural ones, where isolated older people could be brought into a temperature-controlled place with some health care, would be a measure that complements others," she said.

In an interview with the Lusa Extra podcast, Susana Viegas - who teaches on the Master’s in Environmental Health and Climate Change at the NOVA National School of Public Health (NOVA University of Lisbon) - drew attention to "energy poverty", which prevents people from being able to cool or heat their homes.

Energy poverty and urban heat islands

In cities, she noted, energy poverty takes on different dimensions because of phenomena such as so-called "heat islands", which amplify the effects of heatwaves.

"Buildings and tarmac radiate heat once they have warmed up, and it is known that there can be a greater rise in temperature in a heatwave scenario," the specialist said. She added that councils should implement what is recommended at European level: more green and more blue, by creating more parks and giving people greater access to riverside areas or places with water.

Green and blue spaces, tree selection and local co-ordination

On the choice of trees, so that shade helps reduce the amount of heat radiated, Viegas said councils should opt for native species with short pollen seasons, stressing the need to "think about the population living with allergies".

She also recalled that the measures authorities adopt during heatwave periods should be planned at municipal level - as recommended in Europe - and that teams working in environment, town planning, park management and public health need to work together.

Heatwaves and hospital admissions: a 20% rise

Viegas further warned about the impact of heat on hospital admissions, pointing to research she was involved in that examined 20 years of heatwaves and found a 20% increase in hospital admissions. "There may be parts of the country where, because of the population’s characteristics, this increase may be higher," she acknowledged.

The study concluded that the rise was seen across all types of illness, and that children were the most affected, particularly due to burns from contact with hot surfaces.

She also highlighted that heatwaves in May or June have a different effect on hospital admissions compared with those in July or August, which are typically holiday months.

"In May and June children are at school, in the care of others, and we are at work and have less ability to manage the space we are in. In July and August, we are generally on holiday and it is possible to choose between staying at home, going to the beach or going somewhere with an air-conditioned environment. That allows people to adapt better," she explained.