The Urban Heat Island Phenomenon: How Its Effects Can Influence Environmental Decision Making in Your Community

einvestment in urban centers is breathing new life into neighborhoods that have been languishing as a result of explosive suburban development over the past several decades. In communities all over the United States, adaptive reuse, brownfields redevelopment, relocation of entertainment venues into downtowns, and other infill initiatives are transforming urban landscapes, economies, and quality of life. The way in which this development occurs, however, could exacerbate the urban heat island (UHI) effect, an existing problem in many areas and one that poses a threat to the long-term sustainability and environmental quality of localities. The UHI phenomenon is rooted in how landcovers respond to solar heating and how the heat from these surfaces affects the local environment. This phenomenon is responsible for urban centers’ having higher air temperatures and poorer air quality than suburban or rural areas. The UHI effect also forces the development of meteorological events (increased precipitation), boosts energy demands, poses threats to public health, and potentially contributes to global warming. While the name of this phenomenon implies that it is solely an urban problem, research has shown that the effects of UHI also are becoming prevalent in suburbs. As suburban