Keep Cool DC

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This is a Storymap. Scroll down to explore the Keep Cool DC plan and its interactive maps and charts. If you prefer to read the plan in PDF format,  you can view and download here (PDF, 9.3 mb).  

Dear Washingtonians:

The impacts of climate change are not distant threats. Washington, DC is experiencing warmer, more humid, and more prolonged summers than ever before. Summer temperatures are projected to increase by up to 10 degrees over the next 60 years, and our number of heat emergency days is expected to more than triple by 2050. Extreme heat is not just uncomfortable—it is dangerous. Heat can deteriorate infrastructure, spur power outages, and most critically, harm the health of District residents. To better adapt to the climate challenges of the future and to respond to the extreme heat we already face today, I hope you will read the District of Columbia’s heat adaptation strategy: Keep Cool DC, and learn more about our other related plans including Climate Ready DC.

Keep Cool DC is our comprehensive strategy to adapt to hotter days by reducing the drivers of extreme heat and protecting District residents from the dangers of high temperatures. This plan will make sure that residents have the knowledge and resources to stay cool during heat emergencies, and will guide the District’s efforts to make our neighborhoods more resilient to heat.

Climate Ready DC, our strategy to become more resilient to climate change, calls for the reduction of outside air temperatures through expanded green space, tree planting, and innovative techniques like cool roofs. We are working hard to keep our urbanized areas cool and are well-equipped to respond to heat emergencies. But we have more to do to protect all District residents, particularly those most vulnerable to extreme heat, as the District warms.

By working together, and through the collaborative efforts of the District Department of Energy and Environment and other District agencies, we will be far better suited to address the impacts of climate change and extreme heat so that all Washingtonians can live healthier, safer, stronger, and more equitable and resilient lives.

Sincerely,

Muriel Bowser Mayor

With temperatures projected to increase and heat waves expected to occur more frequently and severely, it is critical for the District of Columbia to continue acting to reduce the drivers of increasing temperatures, while protecting residents and building community resilience. This initiative builds upon several District plans advanced under the leadership of Mayor Muriel Bowser, including:

 Climate Ready DC  is the District’s climate adaptation plan and lays out ways that the District will prepare for the overall impacts of climate change.

 Resilient DC  is the District’s overall resilience strategy and outlines the ways that the District will survive, adapt, and thrive in the face of many different kinds of chronic stresses and acute shocks.

 Clean Energy DC  is the District’s plan to achieve 50% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2032.

 Carbon Free DC  is the District’s plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

 Sustainable DC 2.0  is the District’s overall plan to make DC the healthiest, greenest, most livable city for all residents.

The  Heat Emergency Plan  is the District’s plan to activate cooling centers for residents to seek relief when the temperature or heat index reaches 95 degrees.

This strategy, Keep Cool DC, complements these ongoing efforts across District government by focusing on the ways that we will continue to cool down the city and keep residents safe.

Regardless of projections for a hotter future, District residents already cope with heat today. During the development of this strategy, DOEE engaged District residents to learn more about their experiences with extreme heat and discuss various methods to address heat. DOEE partnered with the Georgetown Climate Center to host focus groups of District residents, workers, and service providers, and DOEE distributed a survey to nearly 500 residents.

Other key themes voiced include:

• The high cost of energy is a common barrier to air conditioning use, and renters especially face challenges.

• Some residents are unaware of existing cooling resources and programs. Educational outreach is needed in multiple languages and through various channels to reach all residents.

• Safety, cleanliness, and maintenance concerns deter residents from visiting existing parks and green spaces.

• Many residents are interested in more shade trees and green spaces in their neighborhoods.

Here are some of the stories we heard from residents who participated in these activities:

In recent years, the District of Columbia has experienced changes in temperature driven in part by climate change and the urban heat island effect. For example, the average annual number of very hot days has increased since 1985 and  nighttime temperatures are trending dramatically warmer since 2009 .  Summers are lasting longer  compared to last century.

Scientists have demonstrated that human activity (such as burning fossil fuels) is causing an increase in global temperatures and changing weather patterns from their historic trends. Check out the Climate Explorer below to see how the climate is expected to change in DC. You can change the variable, settings, emissions scenario, and timescale.

In addition to rising temperatures from climate change, the District experiences the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect. The UHI effect occurs in areas where sunlight is absorbed and retained by paved surfaces and roofs. In dense urban areas, this absorbed heat is combined with heat released by technologies such as air conditioners and automobiles to create an “island” that is significantly warmer than surrounding suburban or rural areas. The presence of trees and vegetation can help keep temperatures cool by deflecting radiation from the sun, providing shade, and releasing moisture into the atmosphere. Neighborhoods with fewer trees and greater concentrations of impervious surfaces (or water-resistant surfaces such as pavement, buildings, and roads) absorb and retain more heat.

Heat is disproportionately experienced across the District. Some neighborhoods have fewer trees or more pavement than others, causing the UHI effect to leave some neighborhoods almost 17° F hotter than others! DOEE conducted a  heat exposure and sensitivity analysis  to better understand where the District is most exposed to heat and where the most heat sensitive residents live. The results from this analysis will help to target resources and inform and prioritize heat intervention strategies.

You can take steps to keep yourself and others safe during a heat emergency. Your first tool in a heat emergency is knowledge: stay informed on emergency status through local radio, television and official social media accounts, and download the free Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA) app or  Alert DC  to receive updates on your mobile device.

Take the following tips into consideration to keep yourself safe during the summer:

• Seek relief at a cooling center. The District activates cooling centers when the temperature or heat index reaches or exceeds 95 degrees.
• Avoid going outside during peak heat hours, between 10:00 a.m. — 4:00 p.m.
• Rest in shade if you have to be outside.
• Drink plenty of water (even if you don’t feel thirsty!) and avoid alcoholic or caffeinated beverages.
• Wear light-colored, loose-fitting clothes.
• Take cool showers to help you cool down.
• Seek immediate medical attention if you feel dizzy, nauseous, and/or experience muscle aches.

To help keep others safe, consider taking the following steps:

• Check on heat sensitive neighbors, such as the elderly and neighbors with disabilities or chronic illnesses.
• Never leave children or pets alone in cars, even with the windows cracked.
• Learn to recognize the symptoms of dehydration, heat stress (e.g., heavy sweating, fatigue, cramps and chills) and heat stroke (e.g., no sweating, headache, confusion), and know what to do when someone around you is struggling with the heat.
• Advocate for or install shade in your neighborhood (e.g., trees or shade structures. See the “Cooling Down” section below).

Businesses, nonprofits, and other employers can take several actions to help protect community members from the heat.

• Advocate for or install shade near your place of work
• Use your space to offer residents a break from the heat
• Provide care and resources to your employees that might be exposed to heat while working, such as providing shade, water, and minimizing outdoor work in the hottest hours of the day

Keep Cool DC includes nine overarching strategies for the District of Columbia to address the risks of extreme heat. These strategies are organized into two sections: Cooling Down and Staying Safe. Some of these strategies identify new opportunities for the District to take action, and some of them identify ways to expand existing agency activities. Some of the strategies may be pursued in the short-term, while others may require more time for implementation. Together, these strategies provide guidance on how the District can prepare for and adapt to extreme heat.

Multiple District agencies will collaborate on implementing these strategies, including:

• Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE)
• Department of Aging and Community Living (DACL)
• DC Health
• District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA)
• District of Columbia Public Library (DCPL)
• District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS)
• District of Columbia Department of Buildings (DOB) (formerly Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs)
• District of Columbia State Athletic Assocation (DCSAA)
• District Department of Transportation (DDOT)
• Department of General Services (DGS)
• Department of Human Services (DHS)
• Deputy Mayor's Office for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED)
• Department of Employment Services (DOES)
• Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR)
• Department of Public Works (DPW)
• Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD)
• Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA)
• Metropolitan Police Department (MPD)
• Office of the City Administrator (OCA)
• Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO)
• Office of Disability Rights (ODR)
• Office of Planning (OP)
• Office of the People's Counsel (OPC)
• Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE)
• Office of the Tenant Advocate (OTA)
• District of Columbia Public Service Commission (PSC)
• Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)

This section describes the strategies that the District will pursue to combat urban heat.

Because of the UHI effect, certain neighborhoods retain more heat as buildings, roads, and other hard surfaces replace trees and green spaces. High heat can impact public health, damage critical infrastructure and equipment, raise energy costs and increase the risk of power outages. With thoughtful planning and design, we can equitably cool down the District. Trees are effective at lowering temperatures, and innovative designs—such as green roofs, energy efficient buildings, reflective surfaces, pervious pavements, and green infrastructure—can help keep our city cool.

To help cool down the District, DOEE will work closely with partner agencies listed under the following strategies to identify next steps, action items and deliverables.

This section describes how the District will keep residents safe on the hottest days.

Climate change will make days hotter, nights warmer, and heat waves longer and more frequent. While combatting the UHI can reduce risks, the District will still experience dangerous heat events. We can save lives by preparing for heat, raising awareness of the signs of heat stress and heat stroke, and ensuring all residents can easily find relief.

To help the District stay safe during extreme heat, DOEE will work closely with partner agencies listed under the following strategies to identify next steps, action items and deliverables.

Responding to the impacts of climate change will require efforts across District government. DOEE will coordinate implementation of this plan and work with the partner agencies listed under each strategy to identify next steps. DOEE and other agencies will continue to engage with stakeholders and District residents about the best ways to adapt to the challenges posed by extreme heat.

Launch Event - September 28, 2022:  Presentation Recording (YouTube)