Automatic Opening and Closing Based on Weather Conditions... Heatwave Situation Management TF Operating from This Month
Seong Jang-hyun, Mayor of Yongsan District, inspected smart shade shelters in the area on the 11th to prepare for the summer heatwave.
[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Yongsan-gu (Mayor Seongjanghyun) has installed 10 smart shade shelters that can automatically open and close according to weather conditions to prepare for the summer heatwave.
The "smart shade shelter" is a product that integrates the Internet of Things (IoT) into shade shelters. It detects the weather through sensors installed outside and can open and close by itself. When the temperature rises above 15℃, it automatically unfolds, and it automatically closes when strong winds (7m/s or more) blow or when the sun sets.
The installation locations are crosswalks and traffic islands. Priority was given to areas with heavy foot traffic, and the width of sidewalks was also considered to avoid inconvenience to pedestrians. The locations are Hangangno-dong (4 sites), Itaewon 1-dong (3 sites), and one site each in Ichon 1-dong, Hannam-dong, and Namyeong-dong. Through this, the plan is to minimize the time residents are exposed to heat while waiting at crosswalk signals.
Existing foldable shade shelters require manual operation to open and close and have frequent breakdowns, but the smart shade shelters are convenient to use with automatic opening and closing and can respond quickly to climate changes.
The shade shelters measure 5.4m in length, 3m in width, and 3m in height, designed to accommodate more residents than the existing foldable shade shelters. The district emblem and slogan (Future City Yongsan) are engraved on one side of the shade shelter.
A district official said, "The smart shade shelters can also serve as security lights at night," adding, "They are equipped with LED lights powered by solar energy, so we expect a significant effect on residents' comfort."
Since 2018, the district has been adding shade shelters every year at crosswalks, bus stops, and traffic islands with frequent pedestrian traffic to protect residents from the hot summer sun, currently operating a total of 80 foldable shade shelters.
The installation of smart shade shelters is part of the 2021 comprehensive heatwave countermeasures. The district formed a heatwave situation management task force (TF) this month and will operate it until September. Administrative efforts are focused on preventing heatwave damage through ▲ disaster helpers (586 people) ▲ cooling shelters (108 locations) ▲ protection measures for the elderly and homeless ▲ health visits for vulnerable groups ▲ safety management of vulnerable facilities.
Seongjanghyun, Mayor of Yongsan-gu, said, "We installed smart shade shelters so that residents can rest in preparation for the summer heatwave," and added, "We will support vulnerable groups to safely get through the summer not only through shade shelters but also through various other methods."
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