Park-goers keep cool with super humid mist

Pilot project launched in Abu Dhabi to cool residents as they exercise during hot summer months

Abu Dhabi’s Corniche, where a misting system beside the path will help walkers to beat the heat. Victor Besa / The National

Abu Dhabi has launched a pilot project to refresh residents as they walk along the Corniche.

The project involves spraying walkers with a cooling mist and demonstrates the city municipality's eagerness to cater to those exercising in the summer months when temperatures can soar up to 50C.

The pilot project included a study on the use of mist on fast walking and running tracks in the Mohammed bin Zayed City Public Park, experimenting with four different misting systems.

Authorities asked residents to answer a questionnaire on the topic and as a result chose the final system based on quality and sustainability.

Smart sensors will contribute to controlling the flow of mist so that they waste as little water as possible.

Misters work by evaporative cooling. This is the natural cooling effect that happens when water evaporates in warm air. As the water evaporates it instantly cools the air around it. The finer the mist, the more effectively it can cool an area.