South San Antonio News

The City of San Antonio is set to use a data-driven approach to mitigate the urban heat island effect. This initiative, in partnership with the University of Texas at San Antonio's (UTSA) Sustainable Pervasive Urban Resilience (SPUR) Center, aims to measure heat vulnerability across the city and direct resources towards areas most affected by extreme heat.

The collaboration expands on the City's Cool Pavement pilot from 2023, which identified neighborhoods at high risk for extreme heat. The UTSA faculty utilized data from the Landsat program operated by the U.S. Geological Society and NASA, along with other factors such as income and race, to determine urban heat vulnerability.

“Summers in San Antonio are only getting hotter – and for longer periods of time,” said Doug Melnick, Chief Sustainability Officer for the City of San Antonio. “Some parts of the city can get hotter than others, and certain residents are more vulnerable to the rising heat. It’s critical that we direct resources to those most in need of relief.”

Heat vulnerability is influenced by both socioeconomic conditions and the urban heat island effect. This phenomenon occurs when areas with more physical infrastructure like concrete, asphalt, and steel absorb heat during the day and radiate it at night, leading to higher temperatures.

In 2023, three research projects were launched. Alongside identifying high-risk neighborhoods, studies evaluated products used in the Cool Pavement pilot. Among these products, SealMaster showed a significant reduction in surface temperatures with an average decrease of 3.58 degrees.

These findings provide evidence of cool pavement's effectiveness in reducing surface temperatures while also demonstrating its longevity on pavement surfaces. Other products tested improved skid resistance and friction over control sites while meeting safety specifications and extending pavement life.

The results will aid future planning and implementation of coordinated heat mitigation measures such as green infrastructure, shade structures, water features, energy efficiency initiatives, and cool materials.

For more information on excessive heat preparedness, the City’s Beat the Heat website offers resources.