Research Seminar: Urban Heat Mitigation: Bridging Research, Design & Urban Environmental Planning

November 18, 2020
Featuring Dr. David Sailor, Professor at the Arizona State University School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning Director of the Urban Climate Research Center
Elevated summer temperatures in cities result in substantial consequences for residents, including adverse health effects, poor air quality, and increased air conditioning demand. Extreme heat is often inequitably distributed across the urban landscape, further exacerbating the effects on at-risk populations. Potential solutions to address the urban heat challenge range from relatively low-tech green infrastructure strategies to recent innovations in new materials such as passive radiative cooling films, phase change materials, retro-reflective surfaces, and cool paving. Uptake of these technologies by local governments, however, is often slowed by a combination of inertia in decision-making and lack of knowledge regarding costs and benefits. This presentation will highlight some of our recent efforts to better inform urban environmental planning and decision-making processes through research and pilot projects involving co-generation of knowledge.