Urban Heat Island Effect
What is the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect?
When urban areas are hotter than rural areas due to heat absorption from concrete/asphalt, reduced vegetation, tall buildings trapping heat, and human activity.
On average, how many gallons of water does an American household use per day?
300 gallons.
What are green roofs?
Vegetated roof systems that provide insulation, stormwater management, and cooling.
What is a food desert?
Areas with little access to affordable nutritious food
What percentage of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions come from transportation?
About 29–30%.
What is zoning, and what is its purpose?
Rules for land use; organizes growth, separates uses, manages resources.
How much warmer can U.S. cities be compared to nearby rural areas during the day and night?
1–7°F warmer in the day, 2–5°F warmer at night.
What is greywater?
Gently used water from sinks, showers, washing machines; reused for toilet flushing or irrigation.
What’s the difference between extensive and intensive green roofs?
Extensive: shallow soil, low maintenance, not for people.
Intensive: deep soil, supports larger plants/trees, higher cost, accessible.
List two environmental benefits of urban farming.
Reduces carbon footprint, improves air quality, lowers UHI effect.
Name two modes of sustainable transportation.
Walking, cycling, public transit, EVs, carpooling, micromobility.
List two problems with traditional single-use zoning.
Urban sprawl, car dependency, social segregation, inefficient resource use.
What percentage more heat-related deaths occur during heat waves in cities, compared to surrounding regions?
50–100% higher deaths compared to surrounding regions.
What building feature can absorb 70–90% of summer rainfall, reducing stormwater runoff?
Green roofs.
List three layers in a typical green roof system.
Vegetation, growing medium, drainage layer, root barrier, waterproofing membrane.
What is hydroponics?
Growing plants in nutrient-rich water
How many cars can one bus replace on the road?
About 40 cars.
What is mixed-use development, and what are two benefits?
Combining housing, business, and cultural uses; reduces car use, builds community.
Name two green infrastructure solutions to reduce UHI.
Urban forests/parks, street trees, green roofs.
What does the LEED standard require for indoor water use reduction?
At least 20% reduction from baseline.
What are living walls?
Vertical gardens grown on structures with irrigation and hydroponic systems.
What are the 5 steps of the design thinking process, used for solving food system challenges?
Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, Test.
What is a car-free zone?
Urban areas restricting cars for healthier, safer spaces. Examples: Ghent (Belgium), Barcelona superblocks, Zermatt (Switzerland).
What is Transit-Oriented Development (TOD)?
Compact, mixed-use communities around public transit, reducing car reliance.
Give one real-world example of a city implementing UHI solutions.
NYC’s Million Trees program, Singapore’s urban forest, or LA’s cool roof program.
What is rainwater harvesting?
Collecting and storing rainwater from roofs; reduces potable water use by 30–50%.
Name one environmental benefit of green roofs/living walls.
Reduce heat island effect, improve air quality, manage stormwater, support biodiversity.
Which NYC rooftop farm produces over 100,000 pounds of food annually?
Brooklyn Grange.
Which U.S. city was cited as rolling out electric BRT to cut CO₂ emissions?
Madison, Wisconsin.
Which German neighborhood was cited as a model sustainable community?
Vauban, Freiburg.
What is the purpose of cool roofs?
They reflect sunlight, reducing roof temps by up to 50–60°F and lowering cooling needs.
Which Seattle building uses a cistern to capture rainwater for all its needs?
The Bullitt Center.
Name a real-world case study of a famous green roof or living wall.
Bosco Verticale (Milan), Chicago City Hall, ACROS Fukuoka (Japan).
Name one way designers map and solve food access issues.
GIS mapping, mobile markets, transit solutions.
What does transportation equity mean?
Ensuring access to mobility for all regardless of age, income, or ability.
What year does Copenhagen aim to become the first carbon-neutral capital?
By 2025.