New Heat Response and Mitigation (Phoenix, Surprise: condos, townhomes, neighborhoods)

[Voebe]

For once, Phoenix makes news with something good!

This is the first office of its kind: Heat Response and Mitigation Office. Looks like we're finally facing up to the reality of the dangers of climate warming.




Phoenix Hires Heat Manager To Cool City In Ever Warmer Future
https://gnet.org/phoenix-hires-heat-...warmer-future/

ASU professor named director of Phoenix's new Heat Response and Mitigation Office
https://news.asu.edu/20211001-asu-da...igation-office

Heat Expert to Lead City’s New Heat Response & Mitigation Office
https://www.phoenix.gov/newsroom/city-manager/2060

[scully2010]

But it's a dry heat.

[Greenvalleyfan]

More talking heads that will combine their highly educated brains to deduct...that it's still really hot.

[Prickly Pear]

Until you reduce the amount of surface area that is concrete and asphalt and left as natural areas we aren’t going to see an improvement. This means less sprawl (single family homes) and more density (condos and townhomes that are more vertically oriented thus contributing more population to less surface area)

It also means more natural areas and parks within town. Phoenix has an abysmal amount of parks in local neighborhoods. Yes we have mountains, but we need more.

In a time of water uncertainty and forthcoming restrictions, people planting beautiful and extensive desert landscapes on their front and backyards will help significantly, as well as reducing patio space exposed to the sun if possible. On a micro scale it means nothing, but if everyone did it, we’d see a numerical difference.

[Sno0909]

Originally Posted by Prickly Pear

Until you reduce the amount of surface area that is concrete and asphalt and left as natural areas we aren’t going to see an improvement. This means less sprawl (single family homes) and more density (condos and townhomes that are more vertically oriented thus contributing more population to less surface area)

It also means more natural areas and parks within town. Phoenix has an abysmal amount of parks in local neighborhoods. Yes we have mountains, but we need more.

In a time of water uncertainty and forthcoming restrictions, people planting beautiful and extensive desert landscapes on their front and backyards will help significantly, as well as reducing patio space exposed to the sun if possible. On a micro scale it means nothing, but if everyone did it, we’d see a numerical difference.

People having rocks in their yard is no different than concrete.

[Prickly Pear]

Originally Posted by Sno0909

People having rocks in their yard is no different than concrete.

That's not true. Concrete is a solid surface, while rock xeriscaping has significant cracks, meaning sun rays can get in between the rocks and get colder, shadier rocks while the concrete is reflecting everything that hits it in the same area. Since everything bounces off a flat surface, versus a non-flat surface, the flat concrete will feel hotter.



Depending on the color of rocks, and depending on the color of the concrete, if the rocks are lighter, it will indeed be much cooler than the concrete, even if it was a large flat piece of rock versus a large flat piece of concrete.


Concrete vs our natural landscape is significant. If you don't believe me, go to Sky Harbor, and then go to Surprise. A noticeable difference between them. Sky Harbor is mostly concrete.



Anything that is not natural earth adds to the increasing heat. Even white paint, which creates pollutants towards the greenhouse gas to keep sun rays in our atmosphere. The best solution is to decrease surface area, leave most to the Earth, and increase density so that the same amount of people can live here without forcing people to leave. Obviously humans will pollute to a degree, but we need to do our best to mitigate that and reduce that.

[RocketDawg]

Originally Posted by Sno0909

People having rocks in their yard is no different than concrete.

Isn't concrete a lot cooler surface than asphalt? Aren't most roadways made of asphalt?

Seems like widespread trees would increase humidity, making cooler temperatures feel hotter than a "dry heat".

[Burning Madolf]

Originally Posted by Prickly Pear

That's not true. Concrete is a solid surface, while rock xeriscaping has significant cracks, meaning sun rays can get in between the rocks and get colder, shadier rocks while the concrete is reflecting everything that hits it in the same area. Since everything bounces off a flat surface, versus a non-flat surface, the flat concrete will feel hotter.



Depending on the color of rocks, and depending on the color of the concrete, if the rocks are lighter, it will indeed be much cooler than the concrete, even if it was a large flat piece of rock versus a large flat piece of concrete.


Concrete vs our natural landscape is significant. If you don't believe me, go to Sky Harbor, and then go to Surprise. A noticeable difference between them. Sky Harbor is mostly concrete.



Anything that is not natural earth adds to the increasing heat. Even white paint, which creates pollutants towards the greenhouse gas to keep sun rays in our atmosphere. The best solution is to decrease surface area, leave most to the Earth, and increase density so that the same amount of people can live here without forcing people to leave. Obviously humans will pollute to a degree, but we need to do our best to mitigate that and reduce that.

Yes, don't force anyone to leave just force them into high rise housing projects.


Now, when you eliminate single family housing/zoning is that going to be for everyone or do our betters get to keep their awesome homes?

[Sno0909]

Originally Posted by Prickly Pear

That's not true. Concrete is a solid surface, while rock xeriscaping has significant cracks, meaning sun rays can get in between the rocks and get colder, shadier rocks while the concrete is reflecting everything that hits it in the same area. Since everything bounces off a flat surface, versus a non-flat surface, the flat concrete will feel hotter.



Depending on the color of rocks, and depending on the color of the concrete, if the rocks are lighter, it will indeed be much cooler than the concrete, even if it was a large flat piece of rock versus a large flat piece of concrete.


Concrete vs our natural landscape is significant. If you don't believe me, go to Sky Harbor, and then go to Surprise. A noticeable difference between them. Sky Harbor is mostly concrete.



Anything that is not natural earth adds to the increasing heat. Even white paint, which creates pollutants towards the greenhouse gas to keep sun rays in our atmosphere. The best solution is to decrease surface area, leave most to the Earth, and increase density so that the same amount of people can live here without forcing people to leave. Obviously humans will pollute to a degree, but we need to do our best to mitigate that and reduce that.

Is there a topic that you aren't an expert at? I'm very impressed.

[jwest09]

Originally Posted by RocketDawg

Isn't concrete a lot cooler surface than asphalt? Aren't most roadways made of asphalt?

Seems like widespread trees would increase humidity, making cooler temperatures feel hotter than a "dry heat".

Just paint all asphalt white. Parking lots and roads. It's cooler than blacktop. Won't absorb the heat like blacktop.