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Thermal Inequity in Richmond, VA: The Effect of an Unjust Evolution of the Urban Landscape on Urban Heat Islands

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  • Kelly C. Saverino

    (Department of Geography and the Environment, University of Richmond, Richmond, VA 23173, USA)

  • Emily Routman

    (Department of Geography and the Environment, University of Richmond, Richmond, VA 23173, USA)

  • Todd R. Lookingbill

    (Department of Geography and the Environment, University of Richmond, Richmond, VA 23173, USA)

  • Andre M. Eanes

    (Department of Geography and the Environment, University of Richmond, Richmond, VA 23173, USA)

  • Jeremy S. Hoffman

    (Science Museum of Virginia, Richmond, VA 23220, USA)

  • Rong Bao

    (Department of Geography and the Environment, University of Richmond, Richmond, VA 23173, USA)

Abstract

The urban heat island (UHI) effect is caused by intensive development practices in cities and the diminished presence of green space that results. The evolution of these phenomena has occurred over many decades. In many cities, historic zoning and redlining practices barred Black and minority groups from moving into predominately white areas and obtaining financial resources, a practice that still affects cities today, and has forced these already disadvantaged groups to live in some of the hottest areas. In this study, we used a new dataset on the spatial distribution of temperature during a heat wave in Richmond, Virginia to investigate potential associations between extreme heat and current and historical demographic, socioeconomic, and land use factors. We assessed these data at the census block level to determine if blocks with large differences in temperature also had significant variation in these covariates. The amount of canopy cover, percent impervious surface, and poverty level were all shown to be strong correlates of UHI when analyzed in conjunction with afternoon temperatures. We also found strong associations of historical policies and planning decisions with temperature using data from the University of Richmond’s Digital Scholarship Lab’s “Mapping Inequality” project. Finally, the Church Hill area of the city provided an interesting case study due to recent data suggesting the area’s gentrification. Differences in demographics, socioeconomic factors, and UHI were observed between north and (more gentrified) south Church Hill. Both in Church Hill and in Richmond overall, our research found that areas occupied by people of low socioeconomic status or minority groups disproportionately experienced extreme heat and corresponding impacts on health and quality of life.

Suggested Citation

  • Kelly C. Saverino & Emily Routman & Todd R. Lookingbill & Andre M. Eanes & Jeremy S. Hoffman & Rong Bao, 2021. "Thermal Inequity in Richmond, VA: The Effect of an Unjust Evolution of the Urban Landscape on Urban Heat Islands," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-18, February.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:3:p:1511-:d:491111
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bev Wilson, 2020. "Urban Heat Management and the Legacy of Redlining," Journal of the American Planning Association, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 86(4), pages 443-457, October.
    2. Dana Habeeb & Jason Vargo & Brian Stone, 2015. "Rising heat wave trends in large US cities," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 76(3), pages 1651-1665, April.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Oscar Brousse & Charles H. Simpson & Ate Poorthuis & Clare Heaviside, 2024. "Unequal distributions of crowdsourced weather data in England and Wales," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    3. Daniel P. Johnson, 2022. "Population-Based Disparities in U.S. Urban Heat Exposure from 2003 to 2018," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-20, September.

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