Chicago, MIL Uses Green Infrastructure to Reduce Extreme Heat
^epa.gov/arc-x/chicago-il-uses-green-infrastructure-reduce-extreme-heat
In 1995, Chicago experienced an extreme heat event
that led to the deaths of several hundred people over
the course of five days. Recognizing climate change
will affect extreme heat events among many other
weather events, Chicago decided to conduct a
vulnerability assessment to better understand the
threat. Chicago conducted a vulnerability assessment
that projected future expected temperatures and
estimated the magnitude of threat to future heat related
mortality. In anticipation of these future threats,
Chicago adopted a comprehensive Climate Change
Action Plan. The city's first priority under the Chicago
Climate Action Plan: Adaptation Strategy Report is to
adapt to extreme heat events.
Chicago's approach assessed vulnerability to extreme
heat and promoted resiliency and adaptation actions to
reduce climate risk. Specifically, Chicago is promoting
resiliency through emergency response procedures, specifically including it as a specific criterion within the county's (Cook
County) Hazard Mitigation Plan and identifying that its Extreme Weather Operations Plans have scalability to deal with
projected changes.
In order to adapt to future extreme heat events, Chicago is identifying urban heat areas ('heat islands') of concern and then
adopting heat island reduction strategies through a variety of municipal programs including: building codes and green
infrastructure projects. These green infrastructure strategies provide Chicago with mutual benefits including increasing
extreme heat emergency preparedness and improving stormwater management for extreme precipitation events.
How did they do it?
Applicable EPA Tools
Conducted vulnerability assessment of future risk from climate
exacerbated extreme heat events
• Chicago's Climate Action Plan Impacts Report projected the future
climate under varying emissions scenarios to identify expected future
temperatures, note this analysis projected that by 2050, Chicago could
be seeing extreme heat events equivalent to the 1995 heat-wave up to
twice per decade.
• Chicago developed an algorithm which analyzed past and future
climate changes and residents ability to acclimate to anticipated future
changes. This analysis allowed for an estimation of future risk for heat-
related mortality.
• Chicago simulated an extreme heat event, using data from the 2003
European heat wave, to better understand the impact on the city.
Use CDC's Assessing Health Vulnerability
to Climate Change to identify the
communities most at risk and adopt
adaptation strategies that target extreme
heat vulnerabilities.
Assessing Health Vulnerability to Climate
Change (PDF)(24 pp, 4.3 MB)
* (This is a non-EPA resource from the
Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.)
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Chicago Targeted Efforts to Reduce the Urban Heat Island
• Chicago identified urban heat island "hot spots" to target with heat
reduction strategies such as green infrastructure, reflective roofing,
and rooftop gardens.
• The city required new flat roofs meet EPA Energy Star Cool Roof
Standards, supported commercial green roofs with a Tax Increment
Financed Improvement Fund, and promoted reflective roofing.
• The city provided incentives for the adoption of green infrastructure
through an expedited "Green Permit Process" and provided grants for
small projects.
Promoted Adaptation Actions that Would Provide Co-Benefits
• Chicago incorporated heat island reduction strategies - such as green
or cool roofs, cool pavements, or increased vegetation and trees - into
long-term planning efforts to help lower urban temperatures as well as
provide substantive benefits for other programs, including stormwater
management.
Similar Cases and More Information
To see how Chicago has modified their Heat Emergency Response Programs to reduce deaths from extreme heat events,
view Chicago Heat Emergency Response. To view another region's example of extreme heat adaptation planning view
Minnesota Heat Health, or the NYC Heat Plan. Chicago implemented green infrastructure projects that would provide both
heat reduction and stormwater management benefits, for another example of how adaptation strategies can promote mutual
benefits view Salt Lake City Air Quality.
• Chicago, IL Adapts to Improve Extreme Heat Preparedness
• Minnesota Assesses Climate Risk to Public Health
• New York City Adapts To Deal with Projected Increase of Heat Waves
• Salt Lake City, Utah Adapts to Improve Air Quality Through Smart Growth
EPA's Urban Heat Island Strategies and
EPA Energy Star Cool Roof Standards can
be targeted to reduce the urban heat island
and adapt to future conditions.
Urban Heat Island Strategies
EPA Energy Star Cool Roof Standards
The Green Infrastructure Wizard Tool can
help communities identify and select green
infrastructure adaptation strategies that
provide co-benefits.
Green Infrastructure Wizard Tool
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