New Google AI tool helps cities cope with heat

Disclaimer: this is a free translation of a Fast Company article written by Adele Peters. Read the original text here. .

The translation was done by the editorial staff of "Technocracy". Subscribe to our channel"Voice of Technocracy", so you don't miss new materials about the AI products market.

On hot days, temperatures in some areas of Miami can be 12 degrees higher due to the "urban heat island" effect. This phenomenon occurs when roads, parking lots, and buildings absorb and radiate more heat compared to natural landscapes outside the city.

With climate change, extreme heat is becoming the norm. In response, Miami is using a new tool from Google to calculate how much trees and "cool roofs" — structures made of heat-reflective materials — can help reduce temperatures.

The tool, called Heat Resilience, which is being tested in 14 cities, uses AI to analyze satellite and aerial imagery. It determines how much shade trees provide and where reflective roofs are installed. Using machine learning, the system models the impact of these factors on local temperatures. City authorities can instantly see how specific measures will affect heat reduction.

“Cities can assess: what will happen to the temperature if we increase tree cover from 8% to 20%?” explains Jane Gilbert, Chief Heat Officer for Miami-Dade County. “This data is important when discussing funding and prioritization.”

The previous version of the tool, released in 2023, showed the current greening of cities. Austin used it to identify areas in need of additional greenery. The new version of Heat Resilience not only displays current data but also allows modeling the results of changes. “Our goal is to help cities assess how different strategies can reduce temperature,” comments Mansi Kanshal, Product Manager at Google Research.

Planting trees and installing cool roofs are beneficial for both areas and their residents. “Replacing a roof with a cool one does not incur additional costs if it is installed during construction,” emphasizes Gilbert. This reduces electricity costs and decreases the load on air conditioners. As a result, the temperature in the surroundings also decreases, as less heat is radiated into the atmosphere.

Miami has already mandated the installation of cool roofs on all new public buildings and affordable housing. The county has also achieved changes in state building codes requiring cool roofs on large buildings. Authorities are now considering additional incentives for developers to motivate them to install such roofs and plant more trees.

Although the effect of these measures may seem small, even a two-degree temperature reduction can significantly reduce the load on air conditioners and improve people's health, especially in the context of rising temperatures. At the time of the conversation with Gilbert, Miami was expecting a heat index of 40 degrees — a mark that the city had surpassed more than 40 times this year.