Urban Heat Island Effect
Research Shows Cool Pavement Coatings Can Raise Ambient Temperature
Coatings that reflect heat can make the air feel warmer for people standing on and around these surfaces.
Urban Trees Have Bigger Impact in Hot, Dry Cities
The cooling effect of robust urban tree canopies is more pronounced in hotter, drier cities like Phoenix and Las Vegas.
DC’s Hottest Neighborhoods Have the Least Shade
Areas most exposed to extreme heat also tend to lack bus shelters and benches at bus stops.
Green Schoolyards Offer Respite From Urban Heat
More schools are transforming asphalt-covered playgrounds into shady oases that help reduce temperatures and absorb emissions.
Study: Urban Trees Lose Cooling Benefits in Extreme Heat
A robust tree canopy can help reduce the urban heat island effect and lower air temperatures, but the impact is reduced as temperatures rise.
Advancing Sustainability and Resilience Through Parks
The Urban Land Institute offers fact sheets describing five innovative ways that parks can reduce carbon emissions and mitigate climate threats while advancing health, equity, and quality of life in urban areas.
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.
Invasive Beetles Put Oregon Forests at Risk
Two recently discovered borer beetles could lead to a significant loss of tree canopy.
The Promise of Urban Food Forests
Planting food-producing trees can offer both shade and a source of healthy foods in concrete-dominated neighborhoods.
Urban Design for Sustainability
The way we build cities can have significant impacts on public health and equity.
An Untapped Energy Source: Underground Garages
A European study measured ambient air and groundwater temperatures in underground parking garages and found that the heat generated by these structures could potentially power thousands of households.
How Extreme Heat Impacts Heart Health
A higher number of high heat days correlates with more cardiovascular deaths, according to new research.
The Drawback to ‘Cool Pavement’
New research suggests that cooling pavement treatments can actually make pedestrians standing on it feel hotter.
How to Scale Up Heat Mitigation
As heat waves intensify, cities are seeking out heat mitigation techniques that can be applied widely and benefit entire neighborhoods.
Planting More Trees to Protect and Save Lives
A new study estimates that more than a third of premature deaths from excessive heat can be prevented by planting more trees in cities.
How Pollinators Fight Warming Cities
Researchers are starting to understand how urban bee populations can support healthy green spaces and reduce the urban heat island effect.
Investing in Green Schoolyards
California's budget now includes an unprecedented investment of $150 million to create green schoolyards and schoolyard forests at K-12 schools across the state.
Cool Planning for a Hotter Future
Global warming increases the importance of designing buildings and communities that are comfortable, efficient, and safe in hot conditions.
What Is the Urban Heat Island Effect?
Man-made surfaces and urban density contribute to higher temperatures, intensifying heat waves and posing a growing danger to public health.
How Rotterdam’s Green Rooftops Fight Urban Heat
An elevated park in Rotterdam shows how green roofs can cool cities and create public parks in tight quarters.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
KFH Group Inc.
Greater Baltimore Committee
Eagle County Government
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
