Cities are more susceptible to extreme heat, and other impacts of the climate crisis, than rural areas because of the higher coverage of impervious surfaces (buildings, sidewalks, roads, etc) that trap heat a phenomenon known as the “urban heat island effect”. Dealing with extreme heat is one of the most pressing needs for urban planners and policymakers.
This study will explore how urban planning is evolving to address the escalating heat challenges and create resilient, climate-adaptive cities with a focus on a Greater Grove Hall in Boston, Massachusetts. In April 2022, the City of Boston published Heat Resilience Solutions for Boston.
The report provides a framework of how Boston can prepare its communities, buildings, infrastructure, and natural spaces for the impacts of climate change, including extreme heat, while putting Boston on a path to becoming a Green New Deal city. Boston is already under heat stress, experiencing an average temperature increase of 3.5 degrees greater than the global average. To build resilience to heat, Boston must address three factors of heat risk: exposure to extreme heat, the adaptive capacity to access cooling, and the sensitivity to changes in temperature due to underlying factors like health or age that may influence vulnerability to heat. As planners this entails re-envisioning the built environment to ensure equitable access to indoor and outdoor spaces that help preserve the health and well-being of residents, reduce temperatures in hotspots, and provide features that support resilience and emergency preparedness.
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