May 1, 2006—Innovative, renewable technology to help mitigate urban heat islands and lower energy consumption is the focus of research at the new National Center of Excellence on SMART Innovations for Urban Climate and Energy.
The center, located at Arizona State University (ASU), seeks to develop a new generation of sustainable materials and renewable technology innovations (SMART Innovations), with funding support from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The new center brings together leading researchers and government and industry representatives to find solutions that have a sound scientific, economic, and operational basis to address ways to relieve urban heat islands and lower energy use—reportedly a growing concern for many US cities.
The “urban heat island effect” describes a condition of abnormally elevated temperatures that urban areas experience compared to more rural surroundings, explains EPA. During the summer, higher surface and air temperatures caused by human built structures can increase discomfort and risk human health.
EPA says the effect can also raise air-conditioning use, risk power outages due to peak electricity demands, worsen air quality by promoting ground-level ozone formation, and impair water quality by heating storm water runoff, causing thermal shock for aquatic life.
Information on EPA’s heat island reduction activities can be found online.
