Building defenses against urban heat impacts

Some climate trends are indicating an uptick in the frequency of heat waves. Not good news for communities in which people are most vulnerable to the impacts of high temperatures.

That includes people living in “urban heat islands,” especially residents facing socio-economic challenges and poor health conditions.

A National Public Radio affiliate reports on a project led by researchers at Arizona State University and University of California, Los Angeles, to devise ways urban areas can reduce the risks posed by excessive heat.

They’re looking at construction, urban design and public infrastructure practices, along with better building materials, that could provide heat protection or even cooling effects for at-risk neighborhoods when sizzling temperatures arrive.