Philadelphia Heat Vulnerability Index
NASA DEVELOP National Program --- Tempe - AZ Location
Philadelphia Health & Air Quality, Spring 2020 Term
Extreme Heat
Extreme heat can lead to a wide range of health problems and worsen existing medical conditions. Philadelphia is becoming a hotter city because of a changing climate. Heat waves will be longer, hotter, and will happen more often.
Cities are hotter than suburban and rural areas. This is known as the urban heat island effect.
Cities in the northeastern US, like Philadelphia, are expected to experience the biggest increase in heat related illnesses in the coming decades.
Our hottest, most vulnerable neighborhoods will benefit the most from public outreach and cooling programs. Locating these neighborhoods now allows us to build more resilient, healthier communities for the future.
"Philadelphia’s coordinated approach to addressing the risks of climate change recognizes the need to limit future impacts—by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and thus helping to stabilize the climate—while simultaneously preparing the city and its inhabitants for the unavoidable changes ahead."
This information will be used by local agencies and organizations as they work towards a more heat-resilient Philadelphia.
For more information on the data that was used in this project you can explore our web app:
References and Ancillary Data Sets
- US Census Bureau, Department of Commerce TIGER/Line Shapefiles, 2018, state, Pennsylvania, Current Census Tract State-based
- US Census Bureau, 5-year American Community Survey PUMS files by block group 2014-2018
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 500 Cities health status data, 2018
- Lauren Medsker, Philadelphia Horticultural Society City-wide Tree Density Map modified from Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Street Tree Inventory
- City of Philadelphia, Mayor’s Office of Sustainability and ICF International (2015). "Growing Stronger: Toward a climate-ready Philadelphia." Retrieved March 26, 2020 from https://www.phila.gov/media/20160504162056/Growing-Stronger-Toward-a-Climate-Ready-Philadelphia.pdf
Image Credits
- S. Madera for City of Philadelphia | Source: Provided by partner (Jason Hammer, Department of Public Health)
- City of Philadelphia, Mayor’s Office of Sustainability and ICF International (2015). "Growing Stronger: Toward a climate-ready Philadelphia." Retrieved March 26, 2020 from https://www.phila.gov/media/20160504162056/Growing-Stronger-Toward-a-Climate-Ready-Philadelphia.pdf
- Created by Team
- S. Madera for City of Philadelphia | Source: Provided by partner (Jason Hammer, Department of Public Health) | Adapted by Team
- NASA
- Created by Team
- Created by Team
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