Urban Heat Island
Cool Walkability Planning
Shadeways (covered sidewalks) and pedways (enclosed, climate controlled walkways) can provide comfortable walkability in hot climates. The Cool Walkshed Index can help plan these facilities.
Street Trees as Climate Resilience
An Austin-based urban designer explains how protecting and encouraging the planting of street trees will make the city more resilient to increasingly common extreme heat events, among many other benefits.
Protecting Chicago’s Tree Canopy
Advocates for urban greening are asking the city to boost its tree planting efforts and protect existing trees, which are a key tool for fighting the effects of climate change and worsening heat waves.
'Greening' L.A.'s Schoolyards
Advocates for increasing green space on school campuses say giving students a more healthy outdoor environment can also reduce the urban heat island effect and improve public health in historically underserved communities.
Green Infrastructure Thinking for Southern Cities in 2022 and Beyond
Resilience planning requires communities to think of a well planned and maintained tree canopy as a public utility system with multiple benefits.
To Combat Rising Heat Deaths, Phoenix Creates Heat Response and Mitigation Office
As more extreme temperatures lead to an alarming rise in heat-related deaths across the country, Phoenix is taking action with the nation's first public heat response office.
How the Phoenix Tree Canopy Affects Urban Temperatures
As extreme weather intensifies, cities are using trees to mitigate the effects of climate change and reduce energy consumption.
As Heat Waves Become More Common, Bus Shelters Are Needed to Keep Transit Riders Onboard
As climate change brings prolonged, intense heat waves to cities once associated with rain and cold weather will have to attend to the lack of shelter provided to bus and transit riders.
The Problem with Tree Planting Programs
Ambitious campaigns to plant trees in urban areas often don't take into account the complexities of growing and maintaining effective urban forests.
How Extreme Heat Threatens the Electrical Grid
Higher demand for electricity and lower capacity for production due to more intense heat waves are straining the power grid and causing concern for future energy production.
New Study Ranks the Urban Heat Island Effect in U.S. Cities
A new analysis by Climate Central evaluates the intensity of urban heat islands in cities around the United States—New Orleans tops the list.
'Tiny Forests' Take Hold in Urban Centers
A movement to plant small patches of plants in urban neighborhoods is taking off in Europe and Asia as cities work to mitigate the effects of climate change and provide increased access to green space.
Denver Voters Will Weigh Open Space Development
Two competing initiatives seek to change city regulations for residential and commercial development on the city's parklands and open spaces.
Research Shows Urban Trees Stave off Depression
A new study shows that regular exposure to trees and green spaces has a powerful impact on depression and mental health.
Cincinnati Heat Islands Disproportionally Affect Low-Income Communities
A new study drives home the need for heat reduction measures in areas populated by lower-income residents.
Twin Cities Climate Vulnerability: Extreme Heat
State climatologists are highly confident that heat waves are likely to trend upwards in future summers in Minnesota. To address extreme heat, researchers are identifying the factors that exacerbate extreme heat.
Louisville Updates its Development Code to Benefit the City's Trees
The effect of development codes can be felt in the urban tree canopies. Louisville is updating its code to stem the loss of 56,000 trees a year in the city.
Study Traces the History of Racism and Urban Heat Islands
The people living in urban heat islands are much more likely to be inhabited by low-income people of color, and the roots of the environmental justice issue can be found in planning history.
How Can Cities Adapt to Rising Temperatures? Change the Weather
Brian Stone of the Georgia Institute of Technology writes about a recent article he co-authored in the Journal of Planning Education and Research.
L.A.'s Strategy for 'Safe, Mobile, and Sustainable' Streets
Streets LA General Manager Adel Hagekhalil lays out his priorities and plans for transforming Los Angeles into a system of world-class streets.
Caltrans
San Francisco County Transportation Authority
Planning NEXT
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Washington University
Mpact: Mobility, Community, Possibility
Lassen County Planning and Building Services
City of San Carlos
National Capital Planning Commission
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.
