Guest Contributor
July marked the 14th month in a row of record high global temperatures, and as the month ended, the National Weather Service said Philadelphia was on track for its third warmest summer since 1874. While 94° days are hardly pleasant for suburbanites, heat can be worse for residents in pockets of Center City, South Philadelphia, and North Philadelphia.
“In parts of Philadelphia called heat islands—on a hot day especially during heat waves—temperatures can exceed non-urban areas or Philadelphia suburbs by an average of 8 or 12°,” says associate professor of nursing Sara Jacoby, whose research lies at the intersection of health disparities and the sociostructural conditions of urban environments. She says heat islands can exist because of fewer trees and more concrete, and exposure to hotter temperatures and heat waves can pose health risks for people, especially those living with cardiovascular disease, asthma, and other chronic illnesses.
In Hunting Park, a North Philadelphia neighborhood, temperatures can be as much as 20° hotter than in other parts of the city. Operating out of the Lenfest Center, the nonprofit North10 serves the Hunting Park-East Tioga area by offering youth programs, workforce training, affordable housing, a community market, and more. Nikki Bagby, chief external affairs officer, says people of all ages who come for services wait in the heat to catch a bus, and the bus stop has no overhang.
University of Pennsylvania researchers from the Weitzman School of Design, School of Nursing, and School of Engineering and Applied Science developed a novel prototype to address this issue: a solar-powered wooden bus shelter that provides shade and radiant cooling.
This is thanks to a grant from the Penn Community Collaboratory for Co-Creation (Penn4C), a joint initiative from Penn Nursing and Penn Engineering “based on the recognition that technological solutions should be designed with active engagement of marginalized communities.”
This story was written by Erica Moser. To read the full article, please visit Penn Today.