Extreme Heat

Child wearing heart-shaped sunglasses playing at splash pad in park.

City Parks as Cooling Centers

Strategies for making parks cool, inviting community cooling centers during extreme heat.

June 17, 2024 - Bloomberg CityLab

Close-up of floor fan operating with blurred woman sitting at table in background.

Cooling Costs to Hit 10-Year High This Summer

Longer, more intense heat waves are driving up cooling costs and putting low-income households at higher risk for heat-related illnesses.

June 5, 2024 - Smart Cities Dive

Sunset view of downtown Phoenix, Arizona.

Phoenix Heat Deaths Rose by 1,000 Percent in 10 Years

The last decade saw a lethal combination of higher temperatures, rapid population growth, and rising eviction rates.

June 2, 2024 - Politico

Bird's eye wide view of schoolyard with coated pavement.

Cool Pavements Show Promise as Part of Urban Climate Resilience Strategy

Results from a pilot project in Los Angeles show that cool pavement treatments can serve as a key tool in a city’s climate resilience strategy.

May 27, 2024 - Dr. Haider Taha

Close-up of hand holding up wooden thermometer in front of blurred street

New Forecasting Tool Aims to Reduce Heat-Related Deaths

Two federal agencies launched a new, easy-to-use, color-coded heat warning system that combines meteorological and medical risk factors.

April 24, 2024 - Associated Press via Portland Press Herald

Hazy sky with Portland, Oregon skyline barely visible in background. Man walking in foreground.

Report: 25 Percent of Americans Live With Poor Air Quality

Fires and extreme heat are generating more harmful particulate matter.

February 18, 2024 - Health Day

View of hazy city skyline in yellow smog indicating extreme heat.

How Hot Will 2024 Get?

Experts predict summer temperatures could surpass 2023’s record heat waves, prompting cities to plan mitigation measures.

February 1, 2024 - Smart Cities Dive

Green trees reflected in high-rise skyscrapers.

Urban Design for Sustainability

The way we build cities can have significant impacts on public health and equity.

November 16, 2023 - Colorado Newsline

Road sign with EXTREME HEAT ALERT surrounded by orange traffic cones

How Extreme Heat Impacts Heart Health

A higher number of high heat days correlates with more cardiovascular deaths, according to new research.

November 6, 2023 - Wired

Sidewalk bus stop with bench and no shade in Los Angeles, California

Mitigating the Impact of UV Radiation

A new project aims to understand the unseen impact of ultraviolet radiation beyond extreme heat and mitigate its effects on people.

October 12, 2023 - The Architect's Newspaper

Mature trees shading an urban sidewalk.

The Drawback to ‘Cool Pavement’

New research suggests that cooling pavement treatments can actually make pedestrians standing on it feel hotter.

September 28, 2023 - Bloomberg CityLab

Close-up of window-mounted air conditioning unit on outside of red brick building

Report: ‘Energy Insecurity’ Hits Black Households Hardest

Extreme heat, poor housing quality, and the heat island effect make it harder for many households to afford energy bills.

September 17, 2023 - Smart Cities Dive

Close-up of hand holding up wooden thermometer in front of blurred street

Extreme Heat is Killing Us

Heat-related deaths are rising, and higher temperatures are just one reason.

September 14, 2023 - Governing

Natural gas power plant with two tall smokestacks against blue and purple sunset sky

Energy Reliability Vs. the Environment

A controversial but unanimous vote by California officials last week to keep three older, coastal natural gas power plants operating beyond their termination dates shows that environmental protection takes a back seat to keeping the lights on.

August 22, 2023 - Politico

White metal and glass bus shelter at station with separated bus lane in downtown Houston, Texas

Houston Metro Prototypes Bus Shelter Fans

The agency is working on designs for a bus stop shelter with built-in solar-powered fans to keep waiting riders cool.

August 20, 2023 - Houston Chronicle

Stone windcatcher tower that provides natural air flow in Shiraz, Iran

Looking to the Middle East for Cooling Architecture

Cooling mechanisms built into traditional architecture offer lessons for U.S. builders as heat waves grow more intense.

August 7, 2023 - Time Magazine

Blurred image of speeding DART light rain train in Dallas, Texas

How Extreme Heat Impacts Transit

Heat waves are causing damage and delays on commuter trains from New Jersey to Dallas.

August 4, 2023 - The Dallas Morning News

Lightning strikes over Tucson, Arizona at night during monsoon storm

Tucson Braces for Extreme Weather With Climate Action Plan

The desert city faces a growing risk from extreme heat waves and stronger, more unpredictable storms.

August 3, 2023 - Smart Cities Dive

Man drinking water from plastic bottle sillhouetted against orange sky signaling extreme heat

Biden Administration Announces Federal Heat Safety Policies

As extreme heat waves become more common and widespread, the administration is directing federal resources to heat mitigation efforts.

July 31, 2023 - NBC 4

Side-by-side photos of hand holding thermometer above pavement; left photo shows 119 degrees, right photo shows 110 degrees, illustrating the effect of a cool pavement treatment.

‘Cool Community’ Project Yields Promising Results

A ten-block area in one of L.A.’s most heat-prone neighborhoods saw significant reductions in surface and air temperature thanks to an innovative street treatment that could help communities around the country mitigate the impacts of extreme heat.

July 30, 2023 - Diana Ionescu

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