Identifying Opportunities and Implementation Barriers to Heat Mitigation Through Application of Novel Materials and Improved Pedestrian Infrastructure Design
Extreme heat is the leading cause of weather-related mortality in the United States and is projected to increase in frequency and extent under climate change. Transportation infrastructure is a significant driver of urban heat islands (UHI) and extreme heat micro-environments, including in smaller cities and towns as demonstrated by our current work. Efforts to mitigate UHI often focus on reflecting solar radiation (e.g., increasing surface albedo) and shading (e.g., planting street trees); however, alternative and novel paving materials (ANM) that reduce heat storage or green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) that promotes evaporative cooling offer additional heat mitigation pathways. Sidewalks, which facilitate non-motorized transportation, are relatively low risk, low cost and have low structural requirements compared to other transportation infrastructure and therefore offer a logical test bed for new materials and designs. With thermal comfort, safety and efficiency for users in mind, environmentally responsible designs also minimize material embedded energy and maintain natural ecosystems and processes. ANMs hold significant promise in these arenas however have not yet achieved widespread implementation. In this project, the University of Vermont team will review the growing literature related to the application of ANMs and GSI to reduce urban heat islands. Interviews will be conducted with public works engineers to assess existing knowledge and potential barriers to implementing alternatives in sidewalk applications. The Vermont team will also assess agency familiarity with alternatives, design standard limitations, regulations, and funding mechanisms. The Georgia Tech team will conduct supplemental interviews of public works engineers and planners throughout the Southeast region using the survey mechanisms developed by the Vermont team. It is anticipated that some different and perhaps unique technologies and design mechanisms may be identified, given the extreme rainfall and humidity conditions encountered in the Southeast. The results of this study will allow planners to develop and implement designs that mitigate extreme heat, maintain natural ecosystems and processes, and minimize mitigation material embedded energy. This project will also identify key questions that will drive future research.
Language
- English
Project
- Status: Active
- Funding: $134,000
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Contract Numbers:
DOT 69A3551747114
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Sponsor Organizations:
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology
University Transportation Centers Program
Department of Transportation
Washington, DC United States 20590National Center for Sustainable Transportation
University of California, Davis
Davis, CA United States -
Managing Organizations:
National Center for Sustainable Transportation
University of California, Davis
Davis, CA United States Transportation Research Center
Burlington, Vermont United States 05405Georgia Institute of Technology
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
790 Atlantic Drive
Atlanta, GA United States 30322 -
Project Managers:
Iacobucci, Lauren
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Performing Organizations:
National Center for Sustainable Transportation
University of California, Davis
Davis, CA United States Transportation Research Center
Burlington, Vermont United States 05405Georgia Institute of Technology
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
790 Atlantic Drive
Atlanta, GA United States 30322 -
Principal Investigators:
Doran, Elizabeth
Rowangould, Gregory
Guensler, Randall
- Start Date: 20220901
- Expected Completion Date: 20230831
- Actual Completion Date: 0
- USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Cooling; Heat; Infrastructure; Paving materials; Sidewalks; Sustainable development; Urban design
- Subject Areas: Environment; Materials; Pavements; Transportation (General);
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01854525
- Record Type: Research project
- Source Agency: National Center for Sustainable Transportation
- Contract Numbers: DOT 69A3551747114
- Files: UTC, RIP
- Created Date: Aug 11 2022 2:36PM