As heat waves intensify, cities are seeking out heat mitigation techniques that can be applied widely and benefit entire neighborhoods.
With extreme heat becoming a severe health risk in more U.S. cities, local governments are looking for ways to mitigate its impacts at larger scales, reports Ysabelle Kempe in Smart Cities Dive. “Five cities — Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, New Orleans and Columbia, South Carolina — will participate in a three-year project to scale up the adoption of surfaces that reduce urban heat, the nonprofit Smart Surfaces Coalition announced Thursday.”
The project is aimed at reducing barriers to scaling up heat mitigation projects to make a difference at the neighborhood level. “The coalition’s analysis of citywide ‘smart surfaces’ adoption in Baltimore found that the strategy could cool the city by 5 degrees Fahrenheit and provide more than $10 in cost savings for every $1 spent.”
Kurt Shickman, director of extreme heat initiatives at the Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center, explains the challenges, saying, “a city may not be able to plant trees where they would provide the most value if the land is private property or owned by, say, a water utility or public transportation authority. Shickman suggested that cities could develop incentives or even regulation to encourage cooling changes to the built environment.”
The Smart Surfaces Coalition says it can fund ten projects and welcomes applications from more cities.
FULL STORY: These 5 cities aim to cool down by scaling up ‘smart surfaces’ in coming years
Phoenix Shade Plan Focuses on Bus Stops
The city’s updated Shade Master Plan calls for trees and built structures at bus stops to protect residents from heat.
How Extreme Heat Impacts Heart Health
A higher number of high heat days correlates with more cardiovascular deaths, according to new research.
Addressing the Perils of Extreme Heat
With this year bringing on more record heat waves, governments at the local and federal levels are elevating extreme heat management as an urgent priority.
Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.
HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands
The agency will identify federally owned parcels appropriate for housing development and streamline the regulatory process to lease or transfer land to housing authorities and nonprofit developers.
Conservatives’ Decongestion Pricing Flip-Flop
When it comes to solving traffic problems, the current federal administration is on track for failure, waste, and hypocrisy.
Research Shows More Roads = More Driving
A national study shows, once again, that increasing road supply induces additional vehicle travel, particularly over the long run.
Can Progressive Planners Appeal to Conservative Principles?
Trump’s approach to policies like NYC’s congestion pricing isn’t just irrational and wasteful — it defies the tenets of conservatism. But there are ways to reframe the issues.
Oak Park Plans Earth Month Events
Join Oak Park, Illinois, for a series of Earth Month events highlighting the importance of community engagement and education, integrating sustainability into local plans, and planning for the most vulnerable, such as birds, bees and butterflies.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Florida Atlantic University
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
City of Piedmont, CA
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland