Take Action / Heat Mapping
Mapping Heat in the Greater Asheville Area
Climate challenges are shared, but they’re not shared equally.
This is our chance to find out which neighborhoods are the hottest.
Then we can find solutions together.
About the Mapping Campaign
You and I can experience heat differently—depending on where we are.
That’s because some elements in our community—like tree cover, building placement, and traffic—may cool you…or make you feel hotter.
We want to know which neighborhoods are the hottest.
We also want to pinpoint factors, like lots of pavement in one place, that are creating ‘islands’ of extreme heat, called “Urban Heat Islands.”
With precise data, we can create precise solutions.
Heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths.
In this changing climate, we can expect more hot days, less cool-down overnight, and longer heat waves.
Even worse, people in these urban heat islands can feel up to 20 degrees hotter than people who are surrounded by trees.
When it’s already hot, 20 degrees of extra heat is a big deal, especially if you’re spending time outside for work or play.
Extreme heat can trigger dangerous health problems, like exhaustion, heart attacks, breathing problems and asthma, and heat stroke. It can also make chronic health conditions worse or trigger health crisis.
We can’t predict the weather, but we can be prepared to respond—starting by understanding how heat affects us.
The heat data is just the first step.
Here’s the rest of the road map
Conduct our Urban Heat Island Mapping Campaign Day (July)
Coordinate volunteer teams to map which streets are the hottest.
Make the Maps, with the McCullough Institute at UNC Asheville (September)
Create sophisticated maps to upgrade efforts to restore the tree canopy
Host County-wide Tree Adoption Day (October)
Restoring the trees begins at home…with a native tree adoption event.
Report Back to the Community (November)
Host fall symposium to share about the journey, and get fired up for the next phase.
Community Conversation (the whole time!)
Heat affects us all differently, and it will take all of us, working together, to find solutions that create the most robust climate resilience possible.
The volunteer day is now complete!
Thank you to everyone who lent a hand!
Overview
On mapping day, your two-person volunteer team will drive an assigned route that’s about 10 square miles.
You’ll collect temperature and humidity data with specialized climate sensors.
On Mapping Day, you will collect data during one (or more) shifts.
Morning: 6:00 to 7:00 AM
Afternoon: 3:00 to 4:00 PM
Evening: 7:00 to 8:00 PM
Here’s what to expect during your shift:
Show up early.
You’ll need to get to the command center early to get set up and be at the start of your route, ready to go, by the start of the hour you signed up for.
Get your sensors.
We’ll have trained volunteer leaders on hand to make sure the sensors are securely attached to your vehicle. You’ll also get a detailed guide to your route.
Drive your route.
Start driving at the start of your shift and complete the 10-mile route in the hour.
Report back.
Complete the feedback form so we can report back on your success.
Drop off your sensors.
Return to the command center to drop off the sensors and feedback form and celebrate with us. This is a huge step forward for our home!
Volunteers Make the Difference
Volunteers secure a sensor before heading out on the Raleigh-Durham heat mapping campaign in 2021. Photo credit: Raleigh City Government
Volunteer FAQs
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We will use sensors to detail temperatures tthroughout the greater Asheville area.
Our goal is to define the differences in how heat is experienced in different neighborhoods.
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We know there are disparities in how residents in different parts of Asheville experience heat.
Pockets of heat, known as the urban heat island effect, can create challenges for human health, infrastructure, and quality of life.
With detailed temperature data, we can create targeted, neighborhood-specific solutions.
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Data are collected using a sensor mounted to the passenger side of a car.
Please note: the sensor is held in place by the window; nothing is permanently affixed to the car or bike.
The sensor records the ambient temperature, humidity, and GPS every one second as volunteers transport the device through through their routes.
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All volunteers (drivers AND navigators) will be required to sign a liability release waiver.
Volunteers also need to participate in a volunteer orientation before the date of the campaign.
Drivers will need a valid driver’s license, access to a vehicle, and auto insurance.
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We must hold the event on a hot, clear day. Because we can’t predict the weather, we will need to confirm mapping day just a few days in advance. We love spontaneity!
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We have to wait to schedule the mapping day, but we know that summer is a busy time. Right now, we are working to assemble an “on-call” roster.
Once we confirm the mapping day, we will contact volunteers regarding the next steps.
The volunteer day is now complete!
Thank you to everyone who lent a hand!
Help Us Pick the “Hot Spots”
What are “Hot Spots?”
“Hot spots” are where heat matters most.
When it gets hot, what places in your neighborhood get really hot?
And when it gets really hot, where do people seek shelter from the heat?
We’ve done our best to name the easy ones — the places we know people gather, like community centers and schools.
We’ve also marked the gathering places, like sports fields, where heat might create a health problem—or make someone’s existing health issue worse.
Thank you to everyone who added a hot spot from their neighborhood to the map!
How We’ll Use the Heat Data
To start, we’ll make some maps!
GreenWorks will use this heat data to create a map of heat and health risks. We’ll use this map to identify ideal tree-planting locations in the neighborhoods that need them most.
The City of Asheville will use the heat data to enhance its’s existing climate justice initiative resources, and we’ll work with the City of Asheville to start creating an Urban Forest Master Plan, using the heat data as a foundation.