Oregon Cooling Needs Study
Oregon Department of Energy, prepared by Good Company, a Division of Parametrix
Overview
As extreme heat becomes an increasingly pressing issue for the health and safety of Oregonians, ODOE took action in 2023 by initiating the Oregon Cooling Needs Study to better understand the cooling needs of residents living in the housing types most vulnerable to heat.
The goal of this study is to understand the cooling needs of these households and the associated costs of meeting them.
Background
2021 Record Breaking Heat Dome
The heat dome posed substantial risk to human health, resulting in more than 100 deaths estimated statewide.
2022 Senate Bill 1536
This bill designated funding and mandates to improve cooling infrastructure. It also directed ODOE to conduct the Oregon Cooling Needs Study.
2023 Oregon Cooling Needs Study
Good Company, a Division of Parametrix conducted the Oregon Cooling Needs Study on behalf of ODOE.
The Oregon Cooling Needs Study focuses on the following four housing types:
Manufactured Mobile Homes (78,900 units statewide)
Publicly Supported Housing (Multifamily) (17,600 units statewide)
Residential Recreational Vehicles (RVs) (6,300 units statewide)
Employer Provided Agricultural Workforce Housing (2,100 units statewide)
Pictured from left to right: examples of multifamily unit, RV, maufactured/mobile home, and farm in Oregon
The piechart displays the proportions of housing types included in the study.
The housing types included in this study account for 5% of all housing statewide. The study does not account for naturally occurring affordable housing or the needs of all rent- or utility-burdened households.
Key Findings
58% of the housing types surveyed do not have adequate, permanent cooling equipment. The total cost for installing the preferred cooling equipment across all housing types is estimated to be: $604,400,000 to $1,082,700,000.
Heat Vulnerability Index
The Heat Vulnerability Index is an interactive, online geographic information systems tool created to identify and measure the relative vulnerability to heat impacts across counties and census tracts. The index synthesizes existing data and uses a standardized scoring system to allow for statewide comparison and analysis. The HVI visually displays all counties and census tracts and their relative vulnerability “scores” as a heat map.
HVI Indexes
The Heat Vulnerability Index is comprised of three different indexes, the Exposure Index, Sensitivity Index, and Adaptive Capacity Index. Each index is available to view individually. More saturation indicates higher vulnerability.
The maps below are interactive. Use the map and center slider bar to switch between the Census Tract level scoring (left) and County level scoring (right).
Overall Heat Vulnerability
The Overall Heat Vulnerability Index combines three different indexes: Exposure, Sensitivity, and Adaptive Capacity. These indexes consider how sensitive people are to heat-related illnesses, how much they are exposed to extreme heat, and how well they can adapt and recover from heat exposure. Each index uses various indicators to assess census block groups and counties. These indicators score each area based on how they compare to other counties and census block groups in Oregon. By combining these indexes, of the HVI illustrates how vulnerable different areas are to heat-related issues.
Note: Although not all these indicators are specifically tied to increased likelihood for experiencing heat-related illness, they are compounding factors in the challenges associated with accessing cooling resources and recovering from exposure events.
Exposure Index
The Exposure Index evaluates historic temperatures and expected increases resulting in heat exposure. It also considers tree canopy and impervious surfaces to identify areas prone to the urban heat island effect.
The following inputs are used in the exposure index:
- Heat Exposure
- Increasing Heat Exposure
- Tree Canopy Coverage
- Impervious Surface Coverage
Sensitivity Index
The Sensitivity Index assesses factors such as age and health conditions that might make individuals more vulnerable to negative health effects from extreme heat exposure.
The following inputs are used in the exposure index:
- Young children
- Dependents
- Older adults
- Older adults living along
- No health insurance
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- Poor physical health
- Poor mental health
- Cancer
- Persons with Disabilities
Adaptive Capacity Index
The Adaptive Capacity Index evaluates socioeconomic, demographic, and location-based factors that influence an individual's ability to cope with change, including heat-related challenges.
Note: This includes identification of communities and populations who have been historically marginalized due to discriminatory policies and practices.
The following inputs are used in the exposure index:
- People of color
- Low income population
- Educational attainment
- Limited English speaking
- Access to vehicle
- Outdoor employment
- Housing condition
- Foreign-born population
The map below shows the top five counties with the highest HVI scores.
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Findings by Housing Type
The following section outlines the cooling needs, costs, and key takeaways from each of the housing types included in this study.
Mobile/Manufactured Homes
Manufactured and mobile homes are prefabricated housing units that are built off-site and then transported to a final location.
There are 78,900 manufactured/mobile home units statewide
Manufactured/Mobile Home Distribution Statewide - Larger bubbles indicate larger concentration - Red circles indicate family parks and blue circles indicate 55+ parks
The study survey had 406 participants currently living in manufactured/mobile homes. Results indicate that of the total mobile/manufactured homes statewide,
15% are in need of immediate cooling 35% have long-term cooling needs
*For definitions of "immediate" and "long-term" cooling needs, see the study definitions section
Preferred Equipment Cost
Heat pumps are the preferred solution for manufactured / mobile homes because they use less energy, provide both cooling and heating, and are cheaper to operate than other types of air conditioning equipment
The estimated cost to meet the cooling needs for all manufactured/mobile housing is: Comprehensive Cooling: $851,000,000 Health and Safety Baseline: $470,800,000
*For definitions of "comprehensive cooling" and "health and safety baseline", see the study definitions section
Challenges
- Poor insulation and leaky building envelopes make it more expensive to cool (and heat) these homes.
- Mold and mildew pose additional health and safety concerns for residents living in these homes, particularly those with inadequate HVAC systems.
- Asbestos, lead, and formaldehyde pose challenges to upgrades especially in older construction.
- Unsafe electrical and wiring can create barriers for adding new cooling equipment.
- The cost of cooling equipment and related weatherization and building envelope upgrades needed to make a home safe, comfortable, and efficient outweighs the value of some older mobile homes.
Publicly Supported Housing (Multifamily)
Publicly supported housing (multifamily) is defined as multifamily rental housing developments of five or more units receiving rental assistance.
There are 17,649 publicly supported, multifamily units statewide.
Publicly Supported Housing (Multi-Family) Distribution Statewide (larger bubbles indicate larger concentration)
The study survey had 410 participants currently living in publicly supported, multifamily homes. Results indicate that of the total mobile/manufactured homes statewide,
21% are in need of immediate cooling 45% have long-term cooling needs
*For definitions of "immediate" and "long-term" cooling needs, see the study definitions section
Preferred Equipment Cost
Heat pumps are the preferred solution for multifamily homes because they use less energy, provide both cooling and heating, and are cheaper to operate than other types of air conditioning equipment.
The estimated cost to meet the cooling needs for all publicly supported, multifamily housing is: Comprehensive Cooling: $177,800,000 Health and Safety Baseline: $105,300,000
*For definitions of "comprehensive cooling" and "health and safety baseline", see the study definitions section
Challenges
- Depending on the age of the building, electrical panels may not support the addition of air-conditioning for the whole building or support individual window or portable units for cooling.
- In publicly supported rental housing, landlords are responsible for electrical upgrades, which can be both expensive and labor-intensive.
- Residents living in multifamily properties in urban environments are more likely to experience compounding impacts from the urban heat island effect
- Residents exclusively rent and have less control over home systems such as cooling. Residents may also have less control over their utility bills and the temperature within their unit if heating and cooling are controlled at a building-wide level.
Residential Recreational Vehicles
The best available data source for this housing type is the American Community Survey (ACS) data on the number of “RVs, Boats, and Vans" being used as housing.
According to ACS, there are 6,291 of these units statewide.
Publicly Supported Housing (Multi-Family) Distribution Statewide
The study survey had 132 participants currently living in manufactured/mobile homes. Results indicate that of the total RV's being used as permanent housing statewide,
21% are in need of immediate cooling 39% have long-term cooling needs
*For definitions of "immediate" and "long-term" cooling needs, see the study definitions section
Preferred Equipment Cost
Most RVs are built with permanently installed air conditions installed. However, since RVs are not meant for long-term use, most units become non-operational after one to two years of use. The preferred solution for RVs is to fix the existing equipment in each housing unit.
The estimated cost to meet the cooling needs for all RVs being used as permanent residences is: Comprehensive Cooling: $17,400,000 Health and Safety Baseline: $6,000,000
*For definitions of "comprehensive cooling" and "health and safety baseline", see the study definitions section
Challenges
- RVs are not designed or suitable for long-term, permanent use as housing due to poor insulation, expensive cooling and heating costs, and burdensome maintenance demands.
- Lack of insulation can cause RVs to build up heat during extreme heat events.
- Not all residents living in RVs have consistent access to adequate power hookups.
- Power outages in RV parks are frequent during emergency events and generators operate on limited capacity and propane fuel which can be prohibitively expensive.
- Maintenance requirements are frequent and costly when using RVs as full-time housing.
Agricultural Workforce Housing
For this study, agricultural workforce housing is defined as employer-provided agricultural workforce housing, commonly known as farmworker housing.
According to the Ag Labor Housing Registry, 488 addresses accommodate up to 14,385 maximum occupants statewide.
Ag housing not included in survey, instead based on research and expert interviews.
This study assumes that all units of employer-provided agricultural workforce housing will require electrical and equipment upgrades to fully meet the long-term cooling needs of the occupants.
*For definitions of "immediate" and "long-term" cooling needs, see the study definitions section
Preferred Equipment Cost
Heat pumps are the preferred solution for employer provided agricultural workforce housing because they use less energy, provide both cooling and heating, and are cheaper to operate than other types of air conditioning equipment
The estimated cost to meet the cooling needs for all employer provided agricultural workforce housing: Comprehensive Cooling: $36,500,000 Health and Safety Baseline: $22,300,000
*For definitions of "comprehensive cooling" and "health and safety baseline", see the study definitions section
Challenges
- General lack of availability in housing supply paired with high demand leads to overcrowding in existing units.
- Needs go beyond cooling as some housing conditions for workers are poor (such as labor camps/tents).
- Insufficient insulation/weatherization causing high ongoing energy costs.
- Limited/restricted funding options for employers and narrowing profit margins pose limits to upgrade agricultural workforce housing.
Needs Beyond Cooling
Beyond the needs for cooling equipment, Oregonians encounter barriers to accessing and using existing resources and services. This section outlines the key barriers and opportunities identified to improve equitable access to cooling resources.
Examples of findings from the cooling needs survey
Lack of awareness and accessibility of existing programs
Survey respondents and community based organization partners noted concerns about the lack of awareness surrounding existing programs. Oregon Rural Action highlighted that residents find program applications overwhelming with multiple steps, making completion less likely. These challenges present an opportunity to enhance program connectivity through door-to-door, face-to-face outreach by trusted ambassadors, and the assignment of case managers to guide residents through the application process and follow-up appointments.
Language barriers and digital literacy
Survey respondents stressed the need for increased transcreation and multilingual resources to boost awareness of available resources. Limited access to online materials poses challenges for those without digital literacy, hindering their ability to retrieve essential information from digital platforms.
Cost of energy usage
Many residents avoid using cooling equipment if they have it due to high energy costs, especially in poorly insulated structures like older RVs and manufactured homes. This challenge makes air conditioning an unaffordable luxury for many people rather than a necessity. This highlights the importance of weatherization upgrades and energy assistance alongside cooling installations.
Narrow eligibility requirements limit access among those in need
Survey respondents and community based organization partners described how narrow eligibility requirements for programs exclude many residents in need. This poses an opportunity to re-evaluate qualification criteria to ensure a broader spectrum of needs are being met through state funded programs.
Community based organization partners lack capacity to deliver much needed resources
Community based organization partners lack sustained capacity for program support and delivery; investing in long-term staffing for program and outreach roles would alleviate this constraint.
Mobility and medical conditions that compound the impacts of heat
Pre-existing conditions and limited mobility heighten heat vulnerability, particularly for homebound individuals without cooling access; targeted public education can mitigate heat-related risks.
Many programs are not well connected
Our community based organization partners highlighted a lack of collaboration among available utility and cooling assistance programs, suggesting that unifying these efforts could enhance efficiency and extend support to communities in need.
Study Definitions
The study uses the following definitions for cooling equipment types:
Permanent Equipment Central air conditioners, central heat pumps, ductless heat pumps.
Temporary Equipment Window or wall air conditioners, portable air conditioners
Inadequate equipment Swamp coolers, sunshades/sunscreens/blinds, electric fans, no cooling equipment
Cooling needs are defined as the following:
Immediate need Households that do not have cooling equipment or only have inadequate equipment have an immediate need for permanent (or even temporary) cooling equipment.
Long-term need Households that only have temporary cooling equipment have a long-term need for permanent equipment.
To estimate the investment needed to meet Oregon’s cooling needs, the study created two scenarios for each housing type
Comprehensive Cooling Installation of permanent cooling equipment to properly cool the full living space in each housing unit.
Health and Safety Baseline Installation of a baseline level of cooling equipment to avoid the worst effects of increased extreme heat events.
Full Study
Both the full Oregon Cooling Needs Study report and Heat Vulnerability Index Tool are available for review and use via the following links below:
Oregon Cooling Needs Study Report
Acknowledgements
Good Company, a Divison of Parametrix, a sustainability consulting firm based in Eugene Oregon, was the primary consultant, researcher, and author of the Oregon Cooling Needs Study.
The following community based organization partners conducted outreach to Oregon’s most vulnerable communities, provided qualitative input on their experiences providing services, and informed the outreach approach. Without them, this project would not be possible.
**Photos for this storymap were sourced through Adobe Stock and licensed by the contractor.
