Trees Investment for Temperature Cooling in Higher Learning Institutions: A case of Ardhi University Campus, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Abstract

The pressure for the increasing enrolment in higher learning institutions in Tanzania has accelerated the proliferation of the gray infrastructures in campuses. However, little is understood for the foregone economic value of ecosystem services from the lost trees due gray infrastructure development. The objective of this study was to assess trees investment for temperature cooling in higher learning institutions: a case study of Ardhi University Campus, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The remote sensing techniques, document review, and questionnaire were used for data collection. The study revealed that Ardhi University has trees canopies covering 227,638 square meters. Analysis of the temperature data demonstrated that temperature difference is influenced by abundancy of trees between Ardhi university campus and nearby areas. The average temperature in nearby areas in the afternoon is higher by 2 ˚C to 4˚C compared to Ardhi university campus. 72.4 percentage of students spend four (4) to eight (8) hours in an outdoor tree shaded environment within 12 hours in day time implying that trees shaded environment is important for daily life at the campus. Utilization of the outdoor trees shaded environment has implication of energy savings of 336,823.52 KWh which is equivalent to TZS 120,245,811 (USD 44,535). The study recommends that high learning institutions should invest in green space development with lighting and seating provisions to maximize their use while reducing building users at the campus. Short of that, more buildings are needed to cater for the increasing enrollment. This might be a challenge to majority universities considering that financial resources are scarce.