Abstract
Temperatures vary across cities due to the urban heat island effect (UHI). Higher temperatures increase risks of heat-related illnesses and death, and disproportionately impact socioeconomically vulnerable populations. In my thesis, I explain what UHI is, how it is formed, who it most impacts, and how it can be mitigated. I focus on Maricopa County, Arizona, because of the area’s especially high temperatures and large vulnerable population. I describe the socio-spatial pattern of UHI, provide historic context for why vulnerable groups are disproportionately exposed to high temperatures there, and summarize existing heat mitigation initiatives in the county. One heat mitigation initiative is a network of public air-conditioned cooling centers. To increase accessibility of cooling centers to vulnerable populations, I examined the possibility of using local elementary schools as public cooling centers during summer months. Using a GIS-based optimization approach, I prioritized schools for cooling center establishment. I used Landsat satellite imagery to locate the hottest parts of Phoenix, and data from the U.S. Census Bureau to generate a socioeconomic vulnerability index. To create a heat risk index, I reclassified and combined temperature and vulnerability scores. I calculated the number of highly vulnerable people within a 15-minute walk of each school. I prioritized schools for cooling center establishment based on the number of highly vulnerable people each could serve. Results from this project could inform the siting of new cooling centers, so to best address heat injustices and provide a source of respite where it is needed most.