Climate research
Moritz Gubler from the Geographical Institute of the University of Bern uses a temperature measurement network to collect data on the climate in the city of Bern. He explains how the measurement network contributes to research into urban heat, but also to a sustainable city of Bern.
What are you trying to find out, Mr. Gubler?
The aim of our research project is to find out where it gets hot in the city of Bern in summer. We do this using data from our temperature measurement network, which includes around 80 stations throughout the city of Bern, or we use satellite data or carry out simulations of the city’s climate and evaluate them. A second aim is to find out what can be done about urban heat, i.e. how big the effect of cooling measures – such as planting trees or water features – is. And a third aim is to find ways to sensitize the city’s population and protect themselves against the health risk of heat in cities.
Why is this important from a scientific point of view?
From a basic research perspective, our project is important because we can provide high-resolution temperature measurement data from cities. With this data, researchers can, for example, analyze the effect of climate change and urbanization on urban heat and use climate simulations to separate them. On the other hand, it is also relevant for applied research because we provide important data on how effective a measure is. For example, different cooling measures such as lighter surface colors can be compared with green areas.
To person
Moritz Gubler is a climate researcher at the Geographical Institute of the University of Bern and part of the Climatology Group and the Oeschger Center for Climate Research (OCCR). His research focuses on urban climatology and education about climate change and sustainability. Since 2018, the Climatology Group has been operating an extensive temperature measurement network in the city of Bern and its surroundings to investigate changes in the urban climate and their causes.
What benefits could this bring to society?
On the one hand, we support urban planning in making Bern as livable and sustainable as possible. Hopefully, sooner or later, this will benefit the entire population. We also actively inform and raise awareness about climate change and the health risks of heat in the city. We organize informative walks, give lectures and recently developed an app – it’s called Bernometer – that you can use to see how hot it is now, how hot it will be in a neighborhood the next night, or what you can do to protect yourself from heat stress.
What fascinates you personally about this research project?
Personally, I am particularly fascinated by the local relevance of this research project. The research project takes place in the city of Bern, where I live. This has given me the opportunity to get to know Bern in a new way. The research project also generates a lot of interest among the general public, politicians and other researchers, and offers the opportunity to work with researchers from very different disciplines – for example, biology, medicine or computer science. This variety is also something that I value and that fascinates me.
Bernometer
The “Bernometer” shows the urban heat island of Bern interactively with real-time air temperatures from 80 measuring stations. The data comes from the “Urban Climate Bern” research project of the Oeschger Center for Climate Research.
What is the biggest challenge to overcome?
One of the biggest challenges is having enough people available to collect data at the right time. The sensors in the temperature measurement network send us data regularly and automatically, but maintaining the measuring stations in the event of failure or contamination requires a lot of work. In addition, we often carry out short-term measurement campaigns with drones, mobile measuring vehicles or surveys, which can be very labor-intensive. Our research often focuses on the most beautiful summer days. When it’s sunny, when it’s hot and when you’d most like to be at the pool or by the Aare. During the summer months, many people are often on vacation. In addition, it is often difficult to predict exactly when the sunny days will come. You have to be available at very short notice and have enough people who can do this work.
How is the research project financed?
Our research project is financed in various ways. For example, the city of Bern, the municipality of Ostermundigen and the municipal energy service provider ewb support us in setting up and operating the measurement network. We are also partly self-financed. This means that the Oeschger Center for Climate Research finances part of our research and teaching activities. And then we have various sub-projects that we in turn finance through third-party funding, for example through national and international research funds.
This article also appears in the Anzeiger Region Bern.
About the author
Patrizia Jaeggi works as an editor in Media Relations and Corporate Publishing in the Communication & Marketing Department at the University of Bern. She is responsible for the topic “Nature and Matter”.
This article belongs to the category Sustainability.
Oeschger Centre for Climate Research
The Oeschger Center for Climate Research (OCCR) is one of the strategic centers of the University of Bern. It brings together researchers from 14 institutes and four faculties. The OCCR conducts interdisciplinary research at the forefront of climate science. The Oeschger Center was founded in 2007 and is named after Hans Oeschger (1927-1998), a pioneer of modern climate research who worked in Bern.
