For those who are homeless, a University of Sydney pilot initiative will offer some relief during the anticipated exceptionally hot summer. The mobile cooling hub, which is situated in Ward Park, Surry Hills, will keep people cool during the day with basic but efficient solutions including damp towels, ice packs, foot baths, and misting fans.

The cooling hub can accommodate up to 54 people at once and is powered only by renewable energy. The hub will provide food, water, and assistance for people to access social housing programmes in addition to shade and research-based cooling techniques.

Tartarini cites one of the cooling hub’s main advantages as being community involvement and consultation.

“The hub is being co-designed with people who have lived experience of or are currently experiencing homelessness to ensure it meets the needs of those it aims to assist,” he says. “As such, they are involved in all decision-making processes as part of the project team.”

The consultation process has produced several ideas for services that could improve the cooling hub once it moves beyond the pilot phase.

“These services include physical and mental health assessments by St Vincent’s Hospital mobile health clinic, veterinary services for people’s little companions, entertainment while being cooled – like radio and television – an ablution block for hygiene, food trucks, a mobile laundry service, and security cameras and a security guard to ensure safety,” Tartarini says.

This image was provided courtesy of UTS page while this story was provided courtesy of Nick Johns-Wickberg from HVAC&R News page and was slightly edited prior to publication.
For more info, click here