Trees for a Cool City

Guidelines for optimised tree placement: Andrews Coutts and Nigel Tapper 2017

This document provides guidelines for optimised tree placement to maximise the cooling effects of street trees and deliver the largest benefits for human thermal comfort. It provides guidance on where to place trees depending on the design and orientation of streets. This document also highlights the need to manage street trees in unison with urban water management to ensure trees are well watered. This will ensure that trees actively transpire and retain dense, healthy canopies so they can provide shade. Water should be provided through passive or active irrigation, via water sensitive urban design and/or alternative water sources. However it should be noted that trees that are not supported by irrigation will still provide some thermal benefit through shading and reducing heat storage.