Extreme Heat & Public Health

What is an urban heat island (UHI)?

An urban heat island (UHI) is an urban area that is significantly warmer than its surrounding rural areas. Modified land surfaces (paving, sidewalks, streets, etc.) in the urban environment retain heat and are the main cause of UHI. 

In Richmond, the UHI is strongest in the summer months. When combined with summer weather, the UHI can create periods of extremely high temperatures and humidity levels that have serious health impacts on vulnerable members of our community (people with asthma and pulmonary conditions, the elderly, etc.). As extreme heat events increase with climate change, the urban heat island is projected to intensify. 

How do higher temperatures from urban heat islands impact our community?

• Negatively affect our health and comfort 

• Elevate level of air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions

• Higher energy bills 

• Increase energy consumption in buildings

• Impair water quality

What can you do to reduce the impact of UHIs?

• Plant trees or care for trees in your neighborhood

• Install a vegetated or green roof

• Create a green space on vacant land or help maintain an existing green space 

• Install permeable surfaces on roadways, sidewalks, parking lots, and alleys

How is the City of Richmond working to reduce urban heat?

Mapping Urban Heat Islands

In summer of 2017, the City of Richmond partnered with the Science Museum of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, University of Richmond, and Groundwork RVA to enhance awareness and understanding of the urban heat burden in Richmond and develop ways to reduce UHI-related impacts. We are focusing on underserved neighborhoods of the community. 

The partners conducted an initial mapping of urban heat islands in Richmond. The first image below shows different levels of developed landscape in Richmond. Areas that are gray have a high concentration of cement and asphalt (impervious surfaces). Impervious surfaces impede or prevent the natural infiltration of water into the soil. Light green areas on the image are primarily covered by plants and dark green areas are covered by trees. The second image shows the temperature of land surfaces one summer day in Richmond. The hotter temperatures are shades of red, while cooler temperatures are shades of blue. 

Assessing Urban Heat Vulnerability

The RVAgreen 2050 equitable climate action and resilience planning initiative will prioritize engagement of the communities facing disparate impacts of urban heat.

Comparing COVID-19 & Heat Vulnerability

The COVID-19 pandemic created a sudden public-health crisis with unprecedented impacts on the City of Richmond and our community. Climate change has been a slowly evolving public-health crisis. The people in our community who are most vulnerable to COVID-19 are the same people on the frontlines of climate change - those who are and will be impacted first and worst. The Office is using this data to identify and engage Richmond’s frontline communities in the RVAgreen 2050 equity-centered climate action and resilience planning initiative. Members of our community may be more or less at risk of COVID-19 infection and severe disease or fatality based on various factors. This COVID-19 vulnerability map incorporates the following:

• Area of employment

• Commute mode (public transportation)*

• Poverty*

• Housing status*

• Limited English proficiency

• Pregnancy and breastfeeding

• Smoking

• Sex (male)

• Age (65+)*

• Health conditions (COPD, heart disease, high blood pressure, asthma, diabetes, kidney disease, obesity)*

• Access to healthcare and insurance

*These factors may also increase vulnerability to harm due to extreme heat.

Additional City Initiatives Addressing Urban Heat

The City of Richmond has several initiatives that are helping to mitigate urban heat and protect our community.

• The Richmond 300 comprehensive planning process has identified many draft strategies addressing urban heat islands, tree canopy, stormwater management, and impervious surface reduction.

• The City is working with the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay to further the goals of RVAH2O by developing a comprehensive green infrastructure master plan to capture and treat polluted stormwater runoff by converting impervious surfaces to pervious surfaces, planting trees and native plants, installing bioretention, permeable pavement systems, and other innovative green stormwater practices that will also mitigate the urban heat island effect.

• The Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities has opened streets to bicyclists and pedestrians in and around Byrd Park and Chimborazo Park to allow social distancing for those visiting the area during COVID-19.

• The Urban Forestry Division has information on tree planting initiatives and metrics.

• The City of Richmond works with Capital Trees and other community partners to build green infrastructure projects like the Low Line Gardens and Low Line Green that also help to reduce the urban heat island effect.

Stay cool and safe this summer!

The City of Richmond opens cooling stations when the temperature and/or heat index is expected to reach or exceed 95 degrees. Call 311 for current cooling station locations.

During COVID-19: All citizens must wear face coverings while in the building and maintain a safe physical distance of six feet from others.  Seating will be arranged for the appropriate social distancing. (Pets, with the exception of service animals, are not permitted). 

For more information regarding cooling assistance services, city residents should contact the City’s Department of Social Services Fuel Assistance Office at (804) 646-7046. Elderly residents with cooling related issues should contact Adult Services at (804) 646-7367. In the event of a heat related emergency, please call 9-1-1.

Virginia’s Cooling Assistance Program is available to households with a child under six years old, a person with disabilities, or an adult age 60 or older living in the home who meet the program’s income and eligibility requirements.