Abstract
Abstract
Heat is the number one weather-related killer in the United States and indoor exposure is responsible for a significant portion of the resulting fatalities. Evolving construction practices combined with urban development in harsh climates has led building occupants in many cities to rely on air conditioning (AC) to a degree that their health and well-being are compromised in its absence. The risks are substantial if loss of AC coincides with a hot weather episode (henceforth, a heat disaster). Using simulations, we found that residential buildings in many US cities are highly vulnerable to heat disasters—with more than 50 million citizens living in cities at significant risk. This situation will be exacerbated by intensification of urban heat islands, climate change, and evolving construction practices. It is therefore crucial that future building codes consider thermal resiliency in addition to energy efficiency.
Funder
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Subject
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health,General Environmental Science,Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
Cited by
39 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献