Louisville Gearing Up to Tackle its Urban Heat Island Problem

Louisville has the ignominious distinction of having the largest heat island effect of any of the largest cities in the United States. A new study from the Urban Climate Lab at Georgia Tech suggests ideas for lowering the heat in the city.

1 minute read

April 25, 2016, 2:00 PM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Low Water Ohio River

The Ohio River in summer. | photoBeard / Shutterstock

"Mayor Greg Fischer launched a "Cool502" effort on Monday to fight the city's documented problem with urban heat," reports James Bruggers. The mayor's announcement responded to a new study from Georgia Tech about the many negative effects of Louisville's heat problem.

In releasing the city's first heat management report [pdf], which provides neighborhood-by-neighborhood guidance, the mayor called on residents and business owners to take steps to improve the livability of Louisville by reducing heat.

Bruggers also wrote a second article published today, focusing more specifically on the new study that inspired the mayor's announcement. The report also details the benefits the city could achieve by taking steps to alleviate the problem. The same researchers released a report in 2013 finding that Louisville had the most intense heat island effect of any large city in the United States. 

Monday, April 25, 2016 in The Courier-Journal

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

October 28, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

A car drives through a puddle, making a large splash. Rain pours down.

California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour

If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.

October 28, 2026 - Grist

Lake Powell with much of the water evaporated.

Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River

Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.

October 30, 2026 - Yale Environment 360

Mamdani behind a microphone, in front of a snowbank

Mamdani’s pied-à-terre tax survives legal challenge

A panel of judges found that the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate injury as a result of New York City's implementation of the tax.

1 hour ago - CNN

A road in north eastern Nebraska with power lines on either side, and grassy fields.

Eastern Nebraska is running out of electricity

Data centers and electrification are straining eastern Nebraska’s grid, throttling economic development.

2 hours ago - Grist

People board a bus in Seattle.

Seattle passes record-breaking transit services expansion

Proposition 1 will double the city’s transit tax to add 95,000 more bus trips and preserve 180,000 bus trips annually.

3 hours ago - KOMO News