Hazardous smog coats Beijing, as plan emerges for ‘wind tunnels’ to combat the problem
Six “urban wind passages” are to be created in Beijing to help cool the capital and disperse its notorious smog – which remains at hazardous levels this morning following a code yellow warning on Thursday.
City planners are hoping to create six passages to channel wind through four major areas – Beichen Road and Gulou Street, the Central Business District and the Shili and Hucheng river areas, The Beijing News reported.
The news comes as Thursday’s severe levels of smog continued into Friday morning, with pollution remaining at hazardous levels in Beijing and neighbouring Hebei.
In the Dongsi area of central Beijing, PM2.5 levels reached as high as 475 before falling to 254 at 10am. Even the lower reading is classified as “very unhealthy”.
The wind passages plan, which surfaced in July, involves funneling wind through the capital’s streets to disperse the smog.
By controlling the height and density of buildings planners hope to create channels through which wind will carry away pollutants and heat.
The plan is still in its early stages and feasibility studies with meteorological experts are yet to take place.
In recent years, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Wuhan, Nanjing, and other cities have expressed interest in similar “ventilated” urban planning schemes to control air pollution.
Yesterday, Beijingers and other cities in the north waved goodbye to the blue skies they had been enjoying following the capital’s anti-pollution drive ahead of the recent Apec summit as severe smog returned to the city. The meteorological bureau issued a code yellow, warning residents to stay inside.
Beijing’s severe pollution has inspired many creative minds to seek a solution. Last year, a Dutch artist proposed a sky vacuum to suck up particles out of the city’s skies. Others have suggested skyscrapers coated with a substance that absorbs pollutants.
