8 results ·
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W
wri.org
article
https://www.wri.org/insights/urban-heat-effect-solutions
In most cities, the abundance of dark, impervious surfaces, like asphalt, traps heat and drives temperatures up — contributing to the urban heat island effect. **There's** **more than one way to measure heat****.** Looking at different metrics offers a more complete picture of how effective heat solutions are — from lowering the air temperature outside to changing how hot it feels. When evaluating these solutions, it's important to consider their impact on the heat index — a metric which combines air temperature and humidity — to more accurately assess how people feel outside. To accomplish this, it could blend broad and localized strategies: A citywide effort to implement cool roofs and cool pavements would increase reflectivity across large surface areas, helping to reduce heat absorption and bring down air temperatures for the whole city. **Cool without adding humidity:** Reduce air temperatures without contributing additional humidity to the urban environment, to manage the heat burden of an area as defined by heat index.
S
sciencedirect.com
article
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212095525002305?dgcid=rss…
Among these strategies, Cool roofs and roads, Green roofs with irrigation or SEDUM, and Urban irrigation demonstrate the greatest cooling potential during
O
oneclicklca.com
article
https://oneclicklca.com/en/resources/articles/5-ways-to-reduce-urban-heat
Urban heat islands (UHI) — where cities experience higher temperatures than surrounding rural areas — are a growing concern due to their impact on energy use, air quality, and public health. Using ENVI-met’s simulation data, this article explores five passive cooling methods to help urban planners and architects create more thermally comfortable and sustainable cities. 5 ways to reduce urban heat | ENVI-met from One Click LCA. ENVI-met from One Click LCA is a microclimate simulation software that helps urban planners and architects analyze these effects by modeling how different materials impact temperature, shading, and air movement. ENVI-met data indicates that roofs with darker, dense materials such as concrete retain more heat, raising the air temperature in surrounding areas. ENVI-met simulations highlight how green façades can reduce outside wall temperatures by as much as 20 degrees, compared to walls made of concrete or other exposed materials. Similarly, adding parks and small green spaces can significantly enhance cooling, as emphasized in the article on the role of urban design in reducing city temperatures.
C
climateresilienceproject.org
article
https://climateresilienceproject.org/strategies/urban-cooling/
Urban cooling projects can and should work on different levels to (1) counter the urban heat island effect, so that cities don’t heat up as much; (2) counter the legacy of racist planning and policy, so that temperature disparities between neighborhoods no longer exist; (3) ensure that urban residents have access to relief even on days when their neighborhood is hot, so that they’re able to cool down and avoid health emergencies; (4) ensure that community members are equipped with training so that they can care for one another when someone is experiencing a heat-related health issue; (5) protect workers from laboring in unsafe conditions, and more. Whether advocating for policy changes, supporting an organization’s ongoing efforts, or helping develop a cooling project in your neighborhood, make sure to center the folks who are most impacted by extreme heat and the urban heat island effect every step of the way.
E
epa.gov
official
https://www.epa.gov/heatislands/adapting-heat
[Skip to main content](https://www.epa.gov/heatislands/adapting-heat#main). 2. [Heat Islands](https://www.epa.gov/heatislands). 3. [Heat Island Reduction Solutions](https://www.epa.gov/heatislands/heat-island-reduction-solutions). * [Climate Change and Extreme Heat Booklet](https://www.epa.gov/heatislands/heat-island-materials). * [Comprehensive Heat Response Planning](https://www.epa.gov/heatislands/adapting-heat#planning). * [Forecasting and Monitoring](https://www.epa.gov/heatislands/adapting-heat#forecasting). * [Education and Awareness](https://www.epa.gov/heatislands/adapting-heat#education). * [Responses to Heat Waves](https://www.epa.gov/heatislands/adapting-heat#responses). * [Infrastructure Improvements](https://www.epa.gov/heatislands/adapting-heat#infrastructure). For example, [cool pavements](https://www.epa.gov/heatislands/using-cool-pavements-reduce-heat-islands)—which absorb less solar energy, and in the case of permeable pavements, evaporate more water, than traditional materials—can be used for roads and parking lots to help cool urban areas. ## [Heat Islands](https://www.epa.gov/heatislands). * [What Are Heat Islands?](https://www.epa.gov/heatislands/what-are-heat-islands "Learn About Heat Islands"). * [Cool Roofs](https://www.epa.gov/heatislands/using-cool-roofs-reduce-heat-islands "Using Cool Roofs to Reduce Heat Islands"). * [Cool Pavements](https://www.epa.gov/heatislands/using-cool-pavements-reduce-heat-islands "Using Cool Pavements to Reduce Heat Islands"). * [Adapting to Heat](https://www.epa.gov/heatislands/adapting-heat "Adapting to Heat"). * [Webinars](https://www.epa.gov/heatislands/heat-island-webinars "Webcasts"). [Contact Us About Heat Islands](https://www.epa.gov/heatislands/forms/contact-us-about-heat-islands). [Contact Us About Heat Islands](https://www.epa.gov/heatislands/forms/contact-us-about-heat-islands). [Contact Us About Heat Islands](https://www.epa.gov/heatislands/forms/contact-us-about-heat-islands) to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem. * [Site Feedback](https://www.epa.gov/heatislands/adapting-heat#). [](https://www.epa.gov/heatislands/adapting-heat#top "Back to top"). [Yes, keep going →](https://www.epa.gov/heatislands/adapting-heat#next-page)No, only submit these responses. [← Back](https://www.epa.gov/heatislands/adapting-heat#previous-page).
D
datasmart.hks.harvard.edu
research
https://datasmart.hks.harvard.edu/addressing-extreme-heat-your-cities
Record-breaking temperatures and sustained high-heat days are impacting more cities than ever, with over a third of the U.S. population under a heat warning in July 2024. Urban planning can significantly reduce heat retention in cities. Cool pavements lower surface temperatures by 10-20°F, helping to mitigate urban heat island effects. Heat response requires coordinated action across departments like emergency response, health, sustainability, planning, transportation, and parks. These strategies work together, with emergency responses—like enhanced health services, wellness checks, and cooling centers—addressing acute heat events while long-term efforts, discussed in “WHAT WORKS,” reduce heat exposure over time. Spatial data can visualize areas with the highest heat burden, sensitive populations, and available resources, helping to inform targeted investments and communications. See what the CDHI team learned from cities addressing extreme heat on our website and in our paper, Cooling Urban Heat, that details city-level strategies to mitigate impacts on communities.
U
urbanclimate.gatech.edu
research
https://urbanclimate.gatech.edu/
The UCL integrates expertise in the realms of environmental science, urban design, and public health to develop urban heat management strategies for cities. Urban heat management is focused on reducing heat exposure through physical changes to the built environment of large cities. While all regions of the planet are growing hotter over time due to the global greenhouse effect, cities are warming much faster than the planet as a whole due to the urban heat island effect – a climate change process through which cities are rendered hotter due to deforestation and the extensive use of heat-absorbing materials. The Urban Climate Lab not only works within the realm of urban heat management, we defined it. Our work shows that urban heat management strategies in cities can literally change the weather. ##### **We hope you will explore our ongoing projects focused on climate modeling, urban heat + health, climate equity, and heat risk surveillance.
C
c40knowledgehub.org
article
https://www.c40knowledgehub.org/s/article/Beating-the-heat-A-sustainable-cool…
By taking a whole system approach to tackle urban heat, cities can address the multiple factors that contribute to it and maximise the benefits of cooling for health, energy demand and more. This handbook is a comprehensive guide to developing a cohesive urban cooling action plan with a whole system approach at its core. It explains the actions cities can take for sustainable urban cooling, and provides a clear framework for organising and prioritising them in the cooling action plan. *Beating the heat* outlines three core steps for developing a whole system approach to urban cooling (image from page 21):. 3. **Facilitative strategies.** These are strategies that enable cities to influence or facilitate actions toward sustainable urban cooling, such as raising awareness, developing financial instruments to spur demand, and helping to build capacity to meet demand. * Addressing City Equity Needs with Climate Actions. ### Urban Heat and Equity: Experiences from C40’s Cool Cities Network.