The Inequitable Distribution of the Urban Heat Island in Dallas County, TX
Presentation Time: Fri, 12/10/2021 - 15:00
Keywords: Urban Heat Islands; environmental inequity; socio-demographic characteristic; socioeconomic
The urban heat island (UHI) effect is a phenomenon where urban area has a higher land surface temperature than surrounding rural areas due to human activities. This phenomenon is caused by the increasing urbanization and the removal of green vegetation. The combination of urbanization and climate change have intensified the UHI within urban area. Certain urban areas can see slightly higher UHI than other urban areas due to certain demographic, socioeconomic and land use factors within these urban areas. This study sought to see how the UHI effect is being distributed within Dallas County, TX. The city of Dallas is located within Dallas County and is the 8th largest city in the United States. The City of Dallas was one of the cities within the United States that was redlined by the US government. Redlining was the practice that was used to that barred minorities from moving into predominantly white communities and obtaining financial resources. This study used data from the Landsat 8 satellite to determine the UHI within Dallas County and how it is being disturbed within certain demographic, socioeconomic and land use factors. The assessment was done at the census tract level to determine if tracts within higher UHI had differences in covariates. An Ordinary Least Square (OLS) assessment was also used to determine the relationship between UHI and the covariates. Thru the assessment areas that are predominantly white, have a high median household income, and have a large percentage of canopy cover had a lower UHI than areas that are predominantly Black or Hispanic, that live below the federal poverty level, and have a large percentage of impervious surfaces. The OLS assessment found that the percentage of impervious surfaces, poverty below 125%, Black and Hispanic communities are significant factors within the UHI.
