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Journal of Science Policy & Governance | Volume 18, Issue 04 | September 27, 2021

Policy Memo: Reducing Urban Heat Island Effects While Providing Affordable Housing in Bunker Hill

Kathryn F. Atherton (1,2,3), Vrinda Dambal (3,4), Tara K. Miller (2,3,5), Ian A. Smith (2,6), Jessica Wright (2,3,5)
  1. Bioinformatics Program, Boston University, Boston, MA
  2. Graduate Program in Urban Biogeoscience and Environmental Health, Boston University, Boston, MA
  3. Science and Technology in Public Policy at Boston University
  4. Program in Biomedical Sciences, Graduate Medical Sciences, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
  5. Biology Department, Boston University, Boston, MA
  6. Earth & Environment Department, Boston University, Boston, MA

Corresponding Author:  [email protected]
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https://doi.org/10.38126/JSPG180404
Keywords: Climate mitigation; cool roofs; ecosystem services; environmental justice; low-income housing; public health; urban heat island
Executive Summary: The Bunker Hill Public Housing development is a historic public housing building, home to a large population of racial and ethnic minorities, that requires major redevelopment and repair to enhance the safety of its residents. The Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) recently approved a $1.46 billion redevelopment for the property, a part of which is allocated to remove and replace ~250 mature trees around the public housing units. Removal of these trees would affect an already vulnerable population significantly more exposed to the effects of heat events, including heat-related stress, morbidity, and mortality, which will worsen with climate change in the coming years. While the BPDA proposal seeks to address the issue that the area already experiences 20% less cooling due to a lack of vegetation by replanting more trees, their estimated timescale of more than a decade for the canopy to just return to its current size is concerning. In order to mitigate the added heat stress caused by the tree removal, we propose the supplementary action of installing green roofs on buildings throughout the development. These green roofs would continue to provide cooling and beneficial community services even once the tree canopy has returned. These measures will serve as an appropriate stopgap measure until the canopy can return to size and expand as well as providing the community with the same co-benefits, such as air quality improvement, noise pollution reduction, community spaces, and locally grown food from community gardens, that more affluent parts of the city already experience. The installation of green roofs and supplemental vegetation will take only 0.25% of the entire redevelopment project budget and will have a large return in community wellness.

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Kathryn F. Atherton is a Ph.D. candidate in bioinformatics at Boston University. She studies how the soil microbiome impacts tree health along an urban-to-rural gradient. In addition to her research, Kathryn is the secretary of Science and Technology in Public Policy (STEPUP) at Boston University and the Bioinformatics Program student organization. She is a member of the National Science Policy Network.
 
Vrinda Dambal is a Ph.D. candidate in Biomedical Sciences at Boston University. She studies the role of oxidative stress in pulmonary arterial hypertension. She is a member of the National Science Policy Network (NSPN) and Science and Technology in Public Policy (STEPUP) at Boston University.
 
Tara K. Miller is a Ph.D. candidate in Biology at Boston University. Ze studies the effects of climate change on plants and wildlife in North America, using herbarium specimens and wildlife rehabilitation records. Ze is the president of Science and Technology in Public Policy (STEPUP) at Boston University and a member of the National Science Policy Network (NSPN).
 
Ian A. Smith is a Ph.D. candidate in Earth and Environment at Boston University. He studies energy and mass transfer between the land surface and atmosphere in urban ecosystems with a focus on strengthening climate adaptation strategies.
 
Jessica Wright is a Ph.D. candidate in Earth and Environment at Boston University. She studies urban infrastructure dynamics and urban climate action plans to inform energy transition across Massachusetts. She is a trainee in the BU URBAN program and the vice president of STPEUP (Science and Technology in Public Policy) at Boston University.
 
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Stephen Decina for his edits and feedback during the development of the memo as well as Raquel Jimenez Celsi and Koen Tieskens for allowing us to use their data in our figures. 
DISCLAIMER: The findings and conclusions published herein are solely attributed to the author and not necessarily endorsed or adopted by the Journal of Science Policy and Governance. Articles are distributed in compliance with copyright and trademark agreements.

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