Enabling heat-stress-resilient mobility with the HEAL navigation app in Germany

Key Learnings

• A Participatory Approach helps overcome real-life challenges: Engaging at-risk groups through interactive walks and workshops provided critical insights into real-life mobility challenges, such as the absence of shaded resting areas, exposed public transport stops, and long waits at poorly timed traffic lights, and paved the way for overcoming them.
• Accessibility Considerations: When designing heat-stress-resilient navigation Apps that account for diverse user needs, ensure broad usability and inclusivity.
• Scalability supports broad application: Ensuring adaptability to other circumstances with similar challenges enables other cities to apply the navigation App, as it provides a model for integrating heat adaptation strategies into urban mobility. Data provided by the navigation App can support informed decision-making and the implementation of tailored urban planning measures.

Summary

Interdisciplinary research paired with community engagement can enhance urban resilience to heat stress. By developing a heat-stress-avoidant navigation application (App), the HEAL project supports vulnerable groups in navigating the city more safely during extreme heat. Through interactive walks and workshops, researchers gained valuable insights into real-life mobility challenges, ensuring the App is both practical and accessible. As HEAL expands beyond Heidelberg, it provides a transferable model for integrating climate adaptation into daily urban mobility across European cities.

Contact

Institute of Geography
University of Heidelberg
healuni-heidelberg [dot] de (heal[at]uni-heidelberg[dot]de)