Community Heat Mapping for Mitigation in Houston/Harris County

Urban and extreme heat are among the most significant health and climate issues facing Houston and Harris County. Higher temperatures and extreme heat have a profound effect on vulnerable communities. It has been documented that low-income households and communities of color are disproportionately impacted by extreme heat through higher cooling costs, fewer neighborhood trees, and more impervious cover. Heat-related illness is particularly harmful to those who have existing health concerns or are vulnerable, many of whom live in communities classified as disadvantaged. Ambulance dispatches and deaths due to heat reached record highs in 2023 nationwide, and 2024 is expected to be dangerous as well. In Texas alone, over 300 people died from heat-related causes in 2023. Identifying high-risk heat areas, or hotspots, is crucial if we want to reduce impacts in and provide solutions for our communities. The Houston Harris Heat Action Team (H3AT) collaborated to measure and map urban heat, resulting in the largest single-day community science mapping campaign in the nation’s history. The 2024 H3AT campaign was led by seven local partners and over 150 volunteer community scientists. Using thermal sensors mounted on their cars, volunteers traveled along pre-determined routes to record ambient temperatures and humidity at three specific times: 6 – 7 a.m., 3 – 4 p.m., and 7 – 8 p.m. Together, they drove a total of 3,446 miles across Houston and Harris County over all time periods, collecting data for an area where over two million people live. Community science contributes to community buy-in and brings together a range of local expertise, as well as increasing the amount of data that can be collected in a single day. Data from this campaign will be made available to the public, for community members and organizations to use when applying for funding or supporting projects for community benefits. This data, along with community outreach and the H3AT partnership made up of governmental agencies, nonprofits, and educational agencies, will lead to planting and giveaways of over 50,000 trees over the next five years. The 2024 H3AT campaign represents a unique intersection of community engagement, large-scale data collection, and solution identification. Collaboration between research, local government, community leaders, and residents across Houston allowed for collection of data across Houston disadvantaged communities. As we analyze this data, we turn our focus to ongoing engagement and heat mitigation for Houston’s most vulnerable residents.