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Urban Heat

In the U.S., heat waves injure more people than all other natural disasters combined. Humid heat extremes are also becoming more frequent. Communities of color face compound risks of extreme heat due to the effects of long-standing racism and exclusion. For example, among other discriminatory practices, redlining policy in the 1930s helps explain why some U.S. neighborhoods experience more extreme heat today. Disproportionate impacts also fall on senior citizens and outdoor workers. Read the Hamilton County Extreme Heat Fact Sheet here.

Ways to Reduce Urban Heat

Trees provide many benefits, including absorbing stormwater, reducing air temperatures, removing air pollutants, and providing habitat for wildlife. 

The City of Cincinnati established a goal to maintain 40% urban tree canopy while expanding canopy to 40% residential, 25% mixed-use/industrial, and 10% Central Business District in the 2023 Green Cincinnati Plan. The Cincinnati Parks Board completed a Tree Canopy Assessment to determine the changes in tree canopy within the city between 2011-2020. The study found that overall tree canopy coverage had increased to 43.1% during this period, but the tree canopy between neighborhoods varied from 10% to 70%. The results of the report are used to inform where urban tree canopy can be increased and prioritize tree planting in these areas.

To view up-to-date information on neighborhood canopy coverage, view the City of Cincinnati Urban Tree Canopy Dashboard. The data presented in this dashboard is the most accurate and up-to-date information to be used as the guide for neighborhood canopy coverage percentages, land cover classification, and specific areas of need.

To learn more about Cincinnati Parks' Urban Forestry Program, visit the Cincinnati Parks Website.

Want to get involved with increasing tree canopy? Check out the Office of Environment and Sustainability Tree Canopy Page.

 

Building the urban tree canopy is a great way to reduce the urban heat island effect, but other forms of green infrastructure can also play a crucial role in cooling urban environments. Green infrastructure projects such as creating green roofs or installing planter boxes along sidewalks not only help mitigate stormwater runoff and reduce risk of flooding, but they also provide additional shade and cooling effects on the environment. Learn more about green infrastructure in Cincinnati.

One effective strategy to mitigate the urban heat island effect is the implementation of energy equity programs. These initiatives play a crucial role in alleviating the burden of high energy costs on priority communities. By addressing energy inequities, these programs aim to ensure that all residents can access affordable cooling during hot summer months and essential heating during cold winters. By reducing the energy cost burden, more people can comfortably use air conditioning to beat the heat, and heating systems to stay warm in the winter. These programs not only enhance the quality of life for residents but also contribute to the broader goal of creating a more resilient, sustainable, and equitable Cincinnati.

Learn more about what the City is doing to decrease energy burden.

Regional Heating and Cooling Centers play a pivotal role in bolstering community resilience during extreme weather conditions. Whether it's scorching summers or frigid winters, these centers provide a safe haven for vulnerable populations, ensuring access to temperature-controlled environments when it's needed most. By offering relief from temperature extremes, they mitigate the health risks associated with heatwaves and cold snaps, safeguarding lives and well-being. In the summer of 2023 with increased heat advisories, the Cincinnati Recreation Centers were designated as cooling centers for residents to escape the heat. The City is working to expand the network of heating and cooling access points for residents to increase resilience in our communities. 

Paved surfaces such as parking lots, roads, and sidewalks absorb heat during the day and release this heat overnight, creating higher temperatures. The product CoolSeal is a heat reflective coating that can decrease typical asphalt surface temperatures by up to 10-20°F, which can help reduce the Urban Heat Island effect. 

CoolSeal was applied to the parking lot of LeBlond Recreation Center and thermometer readings will be recorded to measure temperature decrease. Please check back here for temperature data and project updates. If this project yields successful results, the goal would be to apply CoolSeal to other recreation center parking lots and to expand to various City facility parking lots as well. Initial readings were taken at various locations around LeBlond Recreation Center and TM Berry Friendship Park and the results can be seen here.

The City of Phoenix in partnership with Arizona State University started a Cool Pavement Pilot Program by applying CoolSeal on 36 miles of residential roads and one parking lot. Read their full report here.

Cincinnati's Department of Transportation and Energy (DOTE) used a titanium dioxide (TiO2) pavement additive on a road rehabilitation project in Pleasant Ridge along Montgomery Road and are planning on applying the additive to Victory Parkway as part of their safety improvement project. The TiO2 additive has reflective properties, which help to combat the urban heat island effect. Streets sealed with TiO2 oxidize pollutants and therefore reduce ozone pollution and mitigate acid rain formation. 

 

Keep Norwood Cool

Keep Norwood Cool hosted a participatory mapping campaign in 2020, where both heat and air pollution were studied in Norwood. Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati led the study, and it was facilitated by the Norwood Health Department and Keep Norwood Cool. Read more about Keep Norwood Cool.

Heat Watch Cincinnati

The City of Cincinnati's Office of Environment and Sustainability partnered with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to conduct an Urban Heat Island Community Science Campaign in 2020. Read more about the campaign HERE.