Research

Summary

In Tempe, past infrastructure decisions have not adequately addressed heat as a critical health hazard and equity issue. For future infrastructure investments, we must center and engage frontline communities to improve their daily experience of heat. Heat is a common health crisis in our region, and it hits vulnerable populations first and worst. We must ensure that each community has cool hubs and corridors that make socializing and traveling by foot or pedal, safe and comfortable.

For this to be possible, the city has to know where the projects are most needed (by using macro-level data informing placement of cooling infrastructures) and what projects will promote urban cooling for that community (by using micro-level data for designing site-specific cooling infrastructures). This project has three main foci: (1) creating integrated priority maps that incorporate heat, health and lived experience data into city decision-making; (2) producing educational videos and training materials for city staff and residents; and (3) sharing experiential learning between staff, residents and researchers about past and present Tempe heat, health and equity realities. Collecting meteorological data and grounding these measures with people’s actual experience allows the city to devise data-informed decisions and actions that will improve community health and well-being. Dr. Paul Coseo, ASU Design School and Dr Katja Brundiers, ASU School of Sustainability, are leading this project with participating researchers Dr. Ariane Middel, ASU School of Arts Media and Engineering, Dr. Jenni Vanos, ASU School of Sustainability, and Dr. David Hondula, ASU School of Geography.