Special Section: Smart surfaces and urban resilience

 

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US cities using smart surfaces, strategies to cool residents
Dark materials such as asphalt, concrete and traditional rooftops can heat up cities. But even modest adoption of smarter options, such as replacing 20% of surfaces in a city, can lower urban temperatures by several degrees. Eleven cities are partnering with the Smart Surfaces Coalition to find ways to  prepare for and mitigate the impacts of climate change. READ >>

Q&A with Greg Kats: Creating cooler cities through smarter urban design
From permeable parking spaces to cool roofs, smart surfaces are a way to lower hot temperatures and prevent flooding in cities where concrete buildings and asphalt streets can trap extreme heat. For cities that feel lost in the dark about making an investment, the Smart Surfaces Coalition is a beacon of light. With public health, urban design and academic partners, the coalition has been providing 10 cities technical support and policy guidance to create cooler spaces. The Nation's Health spoke to Greg Kats, MBA, MPA, the coalition's founder and CEO, about how APHA and others in the coalition can equip cities with the tools to lower temperatures. READ >>

Metropolitan AME Church supports cooling via smart surface solutions
To build climate resiliency in the neighborhoods, the Metropolitan AME Church has awarded grants to churches and nonprofit organizations, helping them adopt smart surfaces technology. Many AME-affiliated churches serve communities that were previously subject to redlining, a discriminatory housing practice that denied mortgages and investment in predominantly Black communities. While the practice has long since ended, long-term inequities in infrastructure and resources remain. READ >>

School districts investing in smart surfaces
With a promise that 30% of its schoolyards will be green spaces by 2035, the Los Angeles Unified School District knows that smart surfaces are no longer optional — they are the standard. Today over 500,000 Los Angeles Unified public school children benefit from at least one smart surface intervention at their schools, whether it is reflective coatings on asphalt or additional trees planted for shade. READ >>

Tools help communities gauge benefits of smart surfaces
U.S. cities that want to reduce urban heat and protect residents can access a suite of data-driven, web-based tools that show the return on investment in smart surfaces. The information can help advocates craft policies to make smart surfaces a reality in their community. The tools are available thanks to the Smart Surfaces Coalition, a group of organizations working to advance health in the face of climate change through better urban design. READ >>

Cities, communities pursue energy justice for low-income residents
Nearly one-third of U.S. households consider cost before turning on a heating system during winter or powering up a cooling system during summer, potentially endangering their health. Meanwhile, extreme heat is accelerating. Some communities are finding ways to help their mot vulnerable residents. READ >>

APHA Affiliates building local resilience in six states
Six public health associations across the U.S. have been working to build climate resilience and improve public health in their states, thanks to a partnership with APHA and the Smart Surfaces Coalition.
The APHA Affiliates —located in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, Oregon and South Carolina — are finding ways to prepare residents in their states for the growing impacts of climate change. The Affiliates received grant funding for work in six cities: Charlotte, North Carolina; Portland, Oregon; New Orleans; Atlanta; Columbia, South Carolina; and Jacksonville, Florida. The end goal was to drive adoption of smart surfaces — such as trees, cool roofs and porous pavements — which can help cool urban areas. READ >>

Editorial: Extreme heat is an emergency — and every death is preventable
This summer has once again reminded us that extreme heat is not just uncomfortable — it's deadly, according to APHA’s Shweta Arya. More Americans die each year from heat than from hurricanes, floods and tornadoes combined. Extreme heat  heat waves longer, hotter and more frequent, putting communities at growing risk to health, the economy and overall well-being. READ >>