This project is funded by the National Science Foundation, and assesses the human, environmental, and technological impacts of concurrent heat wave and electrical grid failure (blackout) events in Atlanta, GA, Detroit, MI, and Phoenix, AZ. Extreme heat is among the leading causes of weather-related mortality in the U.S., and it is the environmental hazard most confidently projected to worsen with climate change. With an increasing reliance on mechanical cooling for heat management comes a growing potential for significant adverse impacts if electrical power is not available, particularly in cities where urban heat islands and other factors heighten climate change vulnerability. This grant is a collaboration between Northeastern University, Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Michigan, and Arizona State University to study human exposure to ambient temperatures in different types of residential buildings and to evaluate the potential for reductions in heat-related morbidity and mortality through environmental, technological, and behavioral adaptations during extreme events.
Prof. Sharon Harlan is a co-investigator, working with research teams at the Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Michigan, and Arizona State University.
Award Information: National Science Foundation 1520803. 2015-2019.