Across Asia-Pacific, extreme heat is no longer just a seasonal disruption. It is becoming a design challenge for cities, buildings, public health systems and local economies.
This week's signal is that heat resilience is moving into practical infrastructure: passive cooling, cool roofs, district cooling, fog and mist systems, public relief measures and community heat action that help people live and work through hotter days without locking cities into higher energy demand.
A UNSW-led global review argues that cities cannot air-condition their way out of rising heat. Passive cooling — from reflective materials and shading to smarter ventilation and radiative or evaporative cooling — should become the first layer of defence.
Outdoor mist-cooling systems have gone viral during severe urban heat, showing how evaporative cooling can create cooler microclimates in terraces, markets, plazas and other open spaces while using less electricity than conventional air conditioning.
Tamil Nadu has released a state-level SOP for cool roof coatings, turning a passive cooling idea into a standardized public programme with guidance on assessment, application, quality control and maintenance.
Japan is preparing for a "cruelly hot" summer with public relief and heat-health measures, including Tokyo's temporary water-charge waiver for millions of households and stronger workplace heatstroke prevention efforts.
Seoul is deploying high-tech fog canopies as record summer heat looms, using fine mist and shade to cool public spaces and make streets more usable during extreme heat.
Singapore's district cooling systems show how cooling is becoming critical urban infrastructure. Centralized chilled-water networks can reduce electricity demand while strengthening resilience in a hotter, denser urban environment.
Extreme heat is becoming a systemic economic risk for Asia and the Pacific, affecting labour productivity, health systems, energy infrastructure and supply chains. Resilience is becoming an investment priority.
Heat Action Day 2026 focused on indoor heat risk, with more than 200 organizations and over 600 activities showing how communities are turning heat awareness into local action across homes, workplaces and public spaces.
Disclaimer: Climate Tech Pulse compiles publicly available web-based news and information on climate technologies across Asia and the Pacific. Linked content reflects the views of its original authors or publishers and does not necessarily represent the views or positions of APCTT or UN ESCAP.