Project 9: Urban Heat and Vulnerable Populations

With changes in our global climate, city managers are trying to find avenues for mitigating local impacts of urban heat waves on vulnerable populations (e.g. poor, older adults, children, isolated, etc.). However, without knowledge about where, who, and what heat waves impact, developing mitigation approach may be ineffective. An REU student will work with a interdisciplinary research team to evaluate options to describe and mitigate the distribution of urban heat in U.S. cities. Using a combination of qualitative quantitative, and/or spatial methods, the student will assemble empirically derived datasets on urban heat, and integrate demographic datasets to assess the impacts of future heat events on human health and well being.

Project 10: Management of Urban Forests

Many urban planning organizations are advancing urban forestry campaigns with the goal of addressing challenges of climate change. At the same time, we have limited knowledge about the extent to which the rate of urban development is affecting the presence of tree canopy.  Using quantitative data from tree removals and development permits, the REU student will quantify and futurecast change to the urban canopy based on past/current trends, exploring alternative scenarios where relevant. Computational modeling will help to understand the factors that affect tree survival rates, while also contributing to decision making about urban natural resource management.

Project 11: Air Conditioning and Residential Energy Use

A warming climate will require communities to increase the amount of energy, most likely to keep a building cool during the hottest days of the year. While the number of households with air conditioning units is increasing, very little is known about future needs for additional energy. By assessing the extent to which residential buildings currently use energy, the REU student will explore patterns in the extent to which current and future climates will affect the extent to which communities will demand additional energy. Working with actual residential energy use data, and future projections of the ‘number of cooling days,’ we will develop models for predicting energy use across the city of Portland and other northwest cities as relevant. The results will be of relevant to examining whether the current energy grid infrastructure is capable of increasing demand.

The REU student can choose and co-develop from a couple of relevant project, which are described above. The broader title of these three projects is: Seeing C3PO: Cities, Communities, and Climate for Planning Organizations, which aims to prepare society for a changing climate. 

Faculty Mentors: Vivek Shandas https://www.pdx.edu/profile/vivek-shandas

Department: Urban Planning