UIS researcher publishes studies helping cities address heat, water, environmental equity

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - A researcher at the University of Illinois Springfield has published two studies to help cities address heat, water and environmental equity.

Kyle Blount, an assistant professor of ecohydrology in the Environmental Studies Program at UIS, co-authored two research articles to help cities with the growing demands of urbanization.

In May, Blount and his colleagues published a study in Remote Sensing that identifies a simple and inexpensive way to predict how hot neighborhoods "feel at street level."

The research shows that combining detailed surface temperature data with information about shade and sun can estimate local air temperatures without relying on models or sensor networks.

12 residential blocks in Portland, Oregon, were analyzed. The researchers found that the surface temperatures adjusted for shade explained 70 percent of the variation in street-level air temperatures. They also found shading to be the most effective cooling factor. Pavement and roofs measured up to 36 degrees cooler in the shade.

Blount said, "Our study shows cities can understand and manage heat without complicated technology or expensive monitoring programs. By looking closely at where shade falls and what materials make up a neighborhood, we can see which areas will be hottest and take action to cool them."

Blount co-authored a second national study in November that was published in Water Resources Research, taking a broader look at how climate change, rapid development and inequities shape the study of urban water systems.

The article describes how the field of urban hydrology needs to evolve to meet the growing diverse urban communities. The authors said hydrology research in cities have to integrate physical science, public policy, social systems, and environmental justice to guide decision making.

"Cities can only make informed decisions when science reflects the full reality of urban environments," Blount said. "That means integrating engineering, ecology, social equity, and governance rather than treating them as separate systems."

The May study can be read here. The November study can be read here.

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