EPA: Urban Heat Islands Directions: Go to: http://www.epa.gov/heatisland/about/index.htm.

Read about Urban Heat Islands and answer the following questions. go to: BASIC INFORMATION 1. Define Urban heat island: a metropolitan area that is significantly warmer than its surrounding rural areas due to human activities. 2. Sketch the temperature variations as shown on the website onto the profile below. Discuss which areas are cooler.

- The areas that have more trees and plants had a cooler temperature such as park, Pood, etc. 3. How do heat islands form? Describe 2 methods that contribute to higher urban temperatures from heat islands. Why Do We Care About Heat Islands? - The urban heat island may also increase cloudiness and precipitation in the city, as a thermal circulation sets up between the city and surrounding region.

- The thermal properties of buildings add heat to the air by conduction. Tar, asphalt, brick and concrete are better conductors of heat than the vegetation of the rural area. We care about Heat Islands because it strongly affects to our life in negative ways mostly. Increasing global warming 4. Discuss the environmental benefits/detriments of wintertime and summertime heat island areas. - In cold climate may actually benefit from the wintertime warming effect of heat islands. Warmer temp. can reduces heating energy and may help melt ice and snow on roads. - In hot climate, may experience the negative effects of heat islands. 5. What are some of the things that can be done to reduce the urban heat island effect? - Create green roof - Plant more trees - Reduce burning fossil fuels 6. What is the temperature variance in green roof vs. traditional roof? - The surface temp. of a green roof can be cooler than the air temp., whereas the surface of a conventional rooftop can be uo to 90*F warmer. 7. Describe some benefits of green roofs: * Waste Diversion - Prolonging the life of waterproofing membranes, reducing associated waste - The use of recycled materials in the growing medium - Prolonging the service life of heating, ventilation, and HVAC systems through decreased use * Stormwater Management - With green roofs, water is stored by the substrate and then taken up by the plants from where it is returned to the atmosphere through transpiration and evaporation. Heat Island Impacts 8. What are the 4 major impacts of urban heat islands? (a) increasing tree and vegetative cover (b) installing green roofs (c) installing cool

(d) using cool pavements 9. Name 2 human health effects of heat islands Urban Heat Island Mitigation - Higher air pollution levels and respiratory difficulties can affect human health by contributing to general discomfort 10. What is a cool pavement? - Cool pavements include a range of established and emerging technologies that communities are exploring as part of their heat island reduction efforts.