WCPO: Why living in Hyde Park could be 10 degrees cooler

Concrete, asphalt, lack of tree cover are all things that impact temperature, and times of extreme heat are harder on the most vulnerable urban populations, says Pravin Bhiwapurkar an assistant professor in UC’s School of Architecture and Interior Design.

Bhiwapurkar was interviewed by WCPO for his heat island expertise and is currently enrolling Cincinnati residents who live without air conditioning in an upcoming study.

Bhiwapurkar research lies at the intersection of urban climate change, urban morphology and urban building energy use. He investigates how urban development contributes to the heat island (UHI) effect which modifies outdoor and indoor environments. UHI affects building energy needs, microenvironments as well as human health, especially that of children and the older population.

“Even when buildings use air conditioners, they dump a lot of heat outside,” says Pravin.

Those interested in volunteering for the University of Cincinnati study on urban heat islands can contact Pravin Bhiwapurkar at: bhiwappn@ucmail.uc.edu.

 He is looking for people who live in single family homes without central air conditioning, preferably without unit air conditioners, who would be willing to host the temperature and relative humidity sensors in their living rooms and outside in these neighborhoods: Lower Price Hill, South Cumminsville, Winton Hills, Corryville, Avondale, Bond Hill, Over-the-Rhine, Mt. Airy and Westwood.

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Featured image of downtown Cincinnati courtesy of Unsplash.