紐時賞析／對抗熱浪侵襲 歐洲採傳統造屋工法

今年夏季歐洲大部分地區蒙受熾熱高溫籠罩問題。圖爲希臘愛琴海邊度假戲水的民衆。 美聯社資料照

As Heat Waves Intensify, Europe’s Cities Rely on Age-Old Ways to Stay Cool

歐洲靠傳統造屋工法對抗熱浪

There is no single architectural technique that can solve the problem of sweltering heat, which has gripped large parts of Europe this summer. But on a continent where air conditioning is relatively limited, sustainable building techniques can go a long way in protecting residents, according to experts.

今年夏季歐洲大部分地區蒙受熾熱高溫籠罩問題，並無單一建築技術可以解決，但專家指出，在空調設備相對有限的歐洲，永續性造屋技術可能在保護居民上大有可爲。

Those features, which include courtyards, heavy shutters, reflective painting and white-stone facades, can keep homes cool naturally and reduce the need for air conditioning. The problem, particularly for Mediterranean cities that have endured scorching temperatures this summer, is that many newer buildings have been built using Western styles that trap heat, said Marialena Nikolopoulou, a professor of sustainable architecture at the University of Kent in England.

包括庭院、厚重的窗戶遮板，反光油漆和白色石造立面，那些特色都可以使房屋自然保持涼爽，並減少空調需求。但英格蘭肯特大學永續建築學教授瑪莉連娜．尼可洛普魯表示，問題在於許多較新的建築是使用會讓熱氣滯留的西方風格建成，尤其對於今夏飽受炎熱高溫的地中海城市來說。

“We’ve started importing Western architecture and forgetting about local traditions,” Nikolopoulou said, speaking from Athens, Greece, the hottest capital on the continent — with an average daily maximum temperature of 33.4 Celsius in July — and one of the most densely populated. Modern high-rise buildings and the use of materials like asphalt for roads trap heat, contributing to the “heat island” effect, in which cities are hotter than surrounding rural areas. A heat wave in Greece has led to tinder-dry conditions that have stoked wildfires in parts of the country.

「我們已開始引進西方建築，並遺忘在地傳統」，尼可洛普魯表示；她發言時身處希臘雅典，是全歐洲最熱的首都，7月平均每日最高溫達攝氏33.4度，人口稠密度在歐洲數一數二。當代高樓建築，以及使用柏油等材料來鋪路，會使熱氣留滯造成「熱島」效應，讓城市比周圍鄉村地區更炎熱。希臘熱浪造成乾燥環境，已在該國局部地區引發數起野火。

In Mediterranean countries like Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal, traditional houses tend to include qualities that allow for breezes to run through them. Thick walls help absorb heat during the day and release it at night, and features that provide shade, like pergolas, also serve to keep residents cool and reduce sun exposure, said Catalina Spataru, a professor of global energy and resources at the University College London Energy Institute. Narrow passageways in some city centers and tree-lined streets also provide shade for pedestrians.

在希臘、義大利、西班牙、葡萄牙等地中海國家，傳統房屋往往納入可使微風流通的特性。倫敦大學學院能源研究所的全球能源與資源教授卡塔利娜．史帕塔魯指出，厚重牆壁有助於在日間吸收熱能並於晚間釋出，另外像是涼棚等提供遮蔭的特色，也可用以讓居民常保涼爽並降低日照曝曬。部分城市中心狹窄的通道和沿路植樹的街道，也爲行人提供遮蔭。

Europe is experiencing heat waves at a rate that is more frequent and more intense than in many other parts of the world, and numerous homes are not equipped with air-conditioning.

歐洲當前受熱浪侵襲的頻率，比起世界許多其他地區更加頻繁且猛烈，而大量住家並未裝設空調。

Cooling experts say that increased reliance on energy-guzzling air conditioning is not a sustainable solution. Conventional cooling devices, including air conditioners and refrigerators, already account for as much as 10% of all global greenhouse gas emissions, according to a World Bank report published in 2019. That amount is twice the emissions generated from aviation and sea travel combined, the report found.

製冷專家表示，加強依賴能耗驚人的空調設備，並非永續解決方案。根據世界銀行2019年發佈的報告，空調、冰箱等傳統制冷裝置，已佔全球溫室氣體排放量多達10%。報告發現，該項數字是空中和海上運輸合計造成排放量的兩倍。

文／Jenny Gross　譯／高詣軒