NUS scientist wants to expand research to help vulnerable groups in S’pore, S-E Asia beat the heat
Years of record-breaking temperatures and severe heatwaves have made heat an issue that governments around the world are increasingly paying attention to.
Singapore, for example, has rolled out
a national heat advisory as well as heatwave response plans
for various sectors. Heat-reflective paint will also coat more HDB blocks by 2030.
But one Singapore scientist, who has advised the Government on some of these national policies, is now expanding his research focus to include more vulnerable groups here and in the broader South-east Asian region.
Associate Professor Jason Lee, who is the director of NUS’ Heat Resilience and Performance Centre, told The Straits Times that he hopes to help more people, such as those who work outdoors, platform workers and children, beat the heat. Key to these efforts is to help these groups cope with the rising mercury without over-reliance on air-conditioning, he added.
Heat in the region is unlike anywhere else, due to the dangerous combination of high humidity and scorching temperatures. This makes it hard for sweat – the body’s natural cooling mechanism – to evaporate from the skin.
“Air-conditioning has revolutionised comfort, but its environmental footprint requires us to be careful about where it is deployed,” said Prof Lee, 47.