Study: Sprawling cities to feel more heat (Atlanta)

A new Georgia Tech study suggests sprawling cities, such as Atlanta, will feel a greater impact from climate change.

The study, which looked at the number of very hot days in 53 U.S. metro area between 1956 and 2005, says the number of very hot days is on the rise globally, but the rate of increase is more than double in the most sprawling regions compared with more compact cities. This was true regardless of the urban regions’ climate zone, population size or rate of growth.

The annual number of very hot days increased by 14.8 days on average in the regions with the most sprawl and by 5.6 days in the least sprawling cities, according to the study.

“These findings show that the pace of climate change is greater in sprawling cities than in others, which has not been shown before,” according to lead author and urban planner Brian Stone of Georgia Tech. “Because severe heat kills more people on average per year than any other type of dangerous weather, residents of sprawling cities may be more vulnerable to this significant health threat posed by climate change.”

Examples of sprawling regions include Atlanta, Tampa, Fla., and Grand Rapids, Mich. On the other side of the coin, Chicago, Boston, and Baltimore are more compact.

Read the full post in the Atlanta Business Chronicle.