Heat Island Community Actions Database
EPA maintains the Community Actions Database to help communities learn about actions they can take to reduce heat islands. The database includes dozens of examples of state and local voluntary initiatives (e.g. demonstration projects, incentives, outreach and education, awards) and mandatory policies (e.g. ordinances, comprehensive plans and design guidelines, zoning codes, building codes) for advancing heat island cooling strategies. The database can be sorted by region or activity and is searchable by key word, allowing users to explore actions by region or type.
Last Updated: August 14, 2023
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| U.S. Geographic Region | State | Locality | Cooling Activity | Activity Category | Title & Description | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midwest | Ohio | Cincinnati | Mapping or Research; Incentive or Rebate | Trees and Vegetation | Tree Canopy Assessment Fund - Cincinnati's Urban Tree Canopy Assessment Fund allows the city to conduct periodic urban tree canopy analyses, which inform sustainability efforts in neighborhoods. Cincinnati seeks a minimum of 40% tree canopy coverage in each residential neighborhood and allows residents in areas with less than 40% coverage priority access to tree giveaways. | Cincinnati Trees and Equity Case Study |
| Southeast and Carribean | Florida | Miami-Dade County | Incentive or Rebate | Trees and Vegetation | Matching Grant – The Growing Roots for Environmentally Equitable Neighborhoods (GREEN) Miami-Dade County Matching Grant program was created to help the County reach its goal of achieving 30% tree canopy. The grants engage municipalities, non-profits, foundations, and community groups to plant native or Florida-friendly trees on public land. Funds for the grant program come from the county’s Tree Trust Fund, which assesses fines resulting from environmental damages to tree and forest resources, secures grants and donations, and collects fees associated with tree removal or replacement permits. | |
| Great Plains | Texas | Austin | Plan; Project or Program | Trees and Vegetation; Other | Climate Equity Plan and Heat Island Program – Austin’s Climate Equity Plan focuses on neighborhoods that disproportionately experience extreme heat and other climate-related emergencies. To help mitigate the heat island effect in these areas, the plan calls actions such as community tree planting, increasing the citywide tree canopy cover to 50%, and reducing impervious landcover. The city also recommends actions residents can take to reduce heat islands on the city’s Heat Island Program webpage. | Austin Climate Equity Plan |
| Great Plains | Texas | Austin | Code | Trees and Vegetation; Green Roofs | Functional Green Code – Austin’s code called “Functional Green” applies to sites proposing to be developed with an impervious surface cover greater than 80%. Projects are required to meet a specified target score, and qualifying activities include planting trees or shrubs, installing green roofs or green walls, and using porous pavements. | Austin Land Development Code |
| Northwest | Oregon | Portland | Green Roofs | Code | Updated Green Roof Requirements – Portland’s Central City 2035 Plan updates the voluntary green roof components of the city’s zoning code to establish a mandate for vegetated roofing. The requirement went into effect in July 2018 and applies to buildings over 20,000 square feet. It mandates that green roofs must cover 100% of the roof with some exemptions for rooftop mechanical equipment and rooftop parking. | Central City 2035 Plan Green Roof Requirements |
| Northwest | Washington | Seattle | Green Roofs; Trees and Vegetation | Code | Seattle Green Factor – In 2007, Seattle adopted minimum landscaping requirements, known as the Seattle Green Factor, for certain new developments in neighborhood business districts to provide vegetative cover on 30% of the property. The regulations apply to developments with more than four dwelling units, more than 4,000 square feet of commercial uses, or more than 20 new parking spaces. The regulations encourage planting of layers of vegetation and larger trees to provide multiple benefits including heat island mitigation. | Seattle Green Factor |
| Midwest | Illinois | Chicago | Trees and Vegetation | Project or Program; Ordinance or Resolution | Chicago Landscaped Medians Program – Chicago has more than 65 miles of landscaped medians on arterial streets throughout the city. The Chicago Transportation Department plants trees and other vegetation in medians to reduce the urban heat island effect as well as to provide scenic landscaping. | Landscaped Medians |
| Northeast | New Jersey | Elizabeth | Trees and Vegetation | Project or Program; Outreach and Education | Tree Planting Program – Groundwork Elizabeth collaborates with the city of Elizabeth, NJ and community groups to plant microforests to address climate risks in formerly redlined neighborhoods and brownfield areas. The project uses the innovative Miyawaki method which involves planting between 15 and 30 species of native trees and shrubs randomly together in a small plot to speed the natural selection process. The program engages local youth in planting and maintaining the forests. | Groundwork Elizabeth Microforests for Macrosolutions |
| Southwest | California | Statewide | Green Roofs; Trees and Vegetation | Project or Program; Outreach and Education | California Urban Forestry Program – This program is the lead for the development of sustainable urban and community forests in California. It provides information, education and assistance to local governments, nonprofits, private companies, and the general public that help to advance urban forestry initiatives. Through the program, the state plants an average of 10,000 to 20,000 trees a year. Local governments and nonprofits can apply for grants from the program; eligible projects include non-traditional urban forestry initiatives such as green roofs. | California Urban and Community Forestry |
| Southwest | California | Los Angeles | Trees and Vegetation | Project or Program | Million Trees LA – This cooperative effort between the City of Los Angeles, community groups, businesses, and individuals aims to plant and provide long-term stewardship of one million trees planted throughout Los Angeles. Residents interested in free trees can contact the program, which also provides tutorials and information on planting trees. Individuals and groups can volunteer to help with community tree plantings. | Million Trees LA |
| Northeast | District of Columbia | Washington | Trees and Vegetation | Project or Program | Urban Forestry Program – From November 2012 to May 2013, the D.C. Department of Transportation's Urban Forestry Administration planted 6,400 trees across the city as part of a $1.8 million program. Benefits include stormwater reduction, improved air quality, and lower temperatures. The District of Columbia Grove is part of The American Grove, a national online community created to engage and encourage citizens to plant trees, share stories and experiences, and protect the urban tree canopy. Additionally, the City aims to plant 8,600 new trees per year through 2032. | District Urban Forestry Program |
| Midwest | Michigan | Ann Arbor | Trees and Vegetation | Project or Program; Plan; Mapping or Research | Urban Forest Program – Ann Arbor created an Urban and Community Forest Management plan, an online mapping tool that tracks tree inventory, and an Urban Tree Canopy Assessment. Together, these resources help prioritize street plantings in areas lacking canopy cover to improve air quality, moderate summer temperatures, and lower utility costs. | City of Ann Arbor Urban Forest |
| Northeast | New York | Saratoga Springs | Trees and Vegetation | Project or Program; Mapping or Research | Urban Forest Project – Sustainable Saratoga, a nonprofit organization, has been partnering with the City of Saratoga Springs to organize a volunteer effort to inventory the city’s street and park trees. The inventory will be used to develop an Urban Forest Master Plan, which will guide development and cultivation of the city’s street trees. | Urban Forest Project |
| Northeast | New York | Statewide | Trees and Vegetation | Project or Program; Incentive or Rebate | Urban Forestry Grants – Urban forestry grants totaling $2.24 million were awarded to communities and organizations across New York, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced in November 2018. The New York State Urban and Community Forestry Program provides technical assistance to communities through local DEC Urban Foresters and ReLeaf volunteers. Financial assistance is available from the state through competitive cost-share grants. The grants were awarded to 54 cities, villages, towns, and nonprofits across the state. | NYS DEC Urban Forestry Grant Announcement |
| Great Plains | Texas | Dallas | Trees and Vegetation | Project or Program | Adopt-a-Median Tree Planting Program – The Urban Forest Advisory Committee and the Dallas Streets Department aim to reduce the city’s heat island by engaging groups to undertake tree plantings in street medians. Groups can self-fund tree plantings or use the Street Department’s MOWmentum fund or the city’s Reforestation Fund. | Adopt-a-Median |
| Southwest | California | Davis | Trees and Vegetation | Ordinance or Resolution | Davis Landscaping Ordinance –The city requires 50% tree canopy shading of paved parking lot surfaces within 15 years of issuance of a building permit. Specific guidelines are outlined by the city, including selection of diverse tree species from the city’s master tree list. Trees receive 25%, 50%, 75%, or 100% shading credit based on their location relative to paved surfaces. | Chapter 37 of the City of Davis Municipal Code |
| Southwest | California | Sacramento | Trees and Vegetation | Ordinance or Resolution | Sacramento Parking Lot Shading Ordinance – Since 1983, an ordinance in Sacramento's zoning code has required that enough trees be planted to shade 50% of new, or significantly altered, parking lots after 15 years of tree growth. A 2001 study found that the lots were only achieving about 25% shading because sometimes shade was double-counted, trees did not grow to their expected size under conditions of the lot, or trees were not adequately dispersed. Based on these findings, Sacramento modified its code in 2003 to improve coverage. | Section 17.612.040 Tree Shading Requirements for Parking Lots |
| Southeast and Caribbean | Florida | Orlando | Trees and Vegetation | Code | Street Tree Code – The code specifies that trees must be planted along both sides of a street, with one tree every 50 to 100 feet (15–30 m). The Code also creates a Street Tree Trust Fund, which provides a funding source for the city to purchase and install street trees. Developers and builders must pay into the fund prior to obtaining a building permit. | City of Orlando Street Tree Code - See Section 61.226 Street Trees |
| Hawaii and Pacific Islands | Hawaii | Honolulu | Trees and Vegetation | Ordinance or Resolution | Honolulu Parking Lot Shade Ordinance – The Honolulu Land Use Ordinance requires that parking lots within the city be landscaped or screened. Depending on the size of the parking lot, a tree canopy may also be required. | See Section 21-4.70 (PDF) |
| Midwest | Illinois | Chicago | Trees and Vegetation | Ordinance or Resolution | Landscape Ordinance – Chicago requires planting trees or shrubs alongside parkways and parking lots, loading docks, and other vehicular use areas. The ordinance applies to most new building construction, as well as repairs, remodeling, and enlargements of a particular size and cost. The Bureau of Forestry, which maintains the standards, inspects and approves parkway vegetation prior to planting. The goals are to reduce heat, noise, and air pollution. | Landscape Ordinance |
| Southeast and Caribbean | Louisiana | Baton Rouge | Trees and Vegetation | Ordinance or Resolution | Baton Rouge Landscape and Trees Ordinance – In 2007, the City of Baton Rouge strengthened its landscape ordinance, which requires tree planting on all new developments, excluding single-family residences. The ordinance requires two shade trees for every 5,000 square feet of site, and one shade tree per 600 square feet of street frontage. Parking lot requirements include one shade tree per 15 parking spaces for a lot with one to 25 spaces; one shade tree per 12 parking spaces for a lot with 25 to 100 spaces; and one shade tree per 10 parking spaces for a lot over 100 spaces. For example, a 10,000-square-foot site with 600 square feet of storefront and 150 parking spaces would require 20 shade trees (i.e., four for the square footage of the site, one for the store frontage, and 15 for the parking lot). | Chapter 18 Landscape and Trees (PDF) |
| Great Plains | Texas | San Antonio | Trees and Vegetation | Ordinance or Resolution | San Antonio Tree Preservation Ordinance – San Antonio requires different levels of tree protection based on tree class and location. The ordinance classifies significant trees, heritage trees, and trees within the 100-year floodplain. For example, heritage trees―defined, for most species, as trees 24 inches (60 cm) or greater in diameter at breast height―must be preserved. The ordinance, however, generally counts total tree diameter-inches at a site, not individual trees, and gives flexibility in preservation: up to 90% of the tree-diameter-inches can be considered preserved if the developer plants an equal or greater number of tree-diameter-inches elsewhere. Developers can also fulfill the preservation requirement by contributing to the city's tree fund. | San Antonio Ordinance (PDF) |
| Great Plains | New York | New York City | Green Roofs | Incentive or Rebate | New York Property Tax Abatement Provision – New York City has amended its property tax abatement incentive for green roofs. The amendment expands the definition of a green roof, slightly increases the value of the tax abatement, and extends the application deadline by five years, to March 15, 2018. | Property Tax Abatement Provisions |
| Great Plains | New York | New York City | Green Roofs; Other | Incentive or Rebate | New York City Green Infrastructure Grant – The New York City Department of Environmental Protection is encouraging community groups, nonprofits, and property owners to apply for $6 million in funding made available in 2014 for green infrastructure projects. Ideal projects would absorb rainwater to prevent sewer overflows into waterways. | New York City Green Infrastructure Grant |
| Midwest | Illinois | Chicago | Green Roofs | Mapping or Research; Outreach and Education; Incentive or Rebate | Chicago Green Roof Program – Chicago's Department of the Environment has launched one of the strongest green roof efforts in the United States. Through this program the city has been constructing green roofs on public buildings, doing research to estimate impacts from green roofs, providing grants to encourage green roof installations (see entry on Chicago Green Roof and Cool Roof Grants Programs), and educating the public about green roofs in general. | Chicago Sustainable Development Policy (PDF) |
| Southwest | California | San Francisco | Other | Mapping or Research | Heat Vulnerability Spatial Index – The San Francisco Department of Public Health, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control, has developed a Heat Vulnerability Spatial Index. San Francisco displayed vulnerabilities during the 2006 heat wave. The Heat Vulnerability Spatial Index takes into account social vulnerability, built environmental attributes, and land surface temperature. It shows heat vulnerability by neighborhood, and will allow for a comprehensive citywide strategic plan for extreme heat events. | San Francisco Vulnerability to the Health Impacts of Extreme Heat |
| Northeast | New York | Bronx, NYC | Trees and Vegetation | Mapping or Research; Project or Program | Greening the Bronx – The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and New York City worked with horticulture students to undertake a borough-wide tree planting program. NYSERDA led research and the first half of the planting demonstration to identify species and site selection that would maximize the ability to decrease electricity needs in the borough. | NYSERDA Environmental Justice Interagency Taskforce Action Agenda (PDF) |
| Southwest | California | Los Angeles | Cool Pavements; Cool Roofs; Trees and Vegetation | Mapping or Research | The Los Angeles Urban Cooling Collaborative (LAUCC) – LAUCC is a partnership of universities, nonprofit organizations, community groups, and government agencies designing approaches for cooling urban areas using trees, reflective surfaces, behavior change, and policy. LAUCC's goal is to reduce extreme heat risks to public health in vulnerable communities. LAUCC has collaborated with the City of Los Angeles to incorporate heat reduction targets into the city’s resilience strategy and sustainability plan. | Los Angeles Urban Cooling Collaborative |
| Southwest | Arizona | Phoenix, Mesa | Trees and Vegetation | Outreach and Education; Project or Program; Plan | Beginning in 2017, Nature’s Cooling Systems launched three neighborhood pilot projects to develop heat action plans that reflect local knowledge. The plans outline neighborhood-specific solutions to combat the effects of extreme heat. A series of workshops developed awareness, social capital, agency for under-represented populations, and identified appropriate interventions. Solutions include: creating cooler pedestrian routes, adding shade structures at bus stops, and developing a heat safety training program. Nature's Cooling Systems is led by the Nature Conservancy Arizona Chapter, the Maricopa County Department of Public Health, Arizona State University, the Central Arizona Conservation Alliance, Phoenix Revitalization Corporation, RailMesa, and Puente Movement. It is funded by the Vitalyst Health Foundation. | Nature's Cooling Systems Project |
| Southwest | California | Statewide | Cool Roofs; Green Roofs; Trees and Vegetation | Other | Integrating Public Health into Climate Action Planning – The California Department of Public Health has developed a guide to how health and climate change are related. The guide identifies strategies to reduce the urban heat island effect, a consequence of climate change. The strategies include developing well-vegetated urban parks, exploring the role of landscaping and green roofs, planting urban forests, and using light-colored building and pavement materials. | Climate Action for Health (PDF) |
| Southwest | California | Statewide | Cool Pavements; Cool Roofs; Trees and Vegetation | Outreach and Education Program; Other | PHSE 4: Develop an urban heat island reduction program that includes an urban forest program or plan – The California Emergency Management Agency and the California Natural Resources Agency have created a guide for local governments to address the consequences of climate change. The guide includes a Public Health, Socioeconomic, and Equity Impacts (PHSE) strategy to address the urban heat island effect. The strategy includes recommendations such as tree planting and long-term maintenance through urban forest programs, and using cool roofs and pavements. | California Adaptation Planning Guide (PDF) |
| Great Plains | Texas | Houston | Trees and Vegetation | Outreach and Education | Tree Planting Competition – Northwest Harris County gained more than 1,000 new trees during the Houston Area Urban Forestry Council's 2014 Tree Planting Competition. The contest is designed to help educate people on proper ways to plant trees and on the benefits of urban forestry for the community. | Houston Urban Forestry Event |
| Northeast | Maryland | Annapolis | Smart Growth; Trees and Vegetation | Incentive or Rebate; Project or Program; Ordinance or Resolution; Outreach and Education | Annapolis Energy Efficiency Resolution – In October 2006, Annapolis adopted a comprehensive energy efficiency resolution that included general goals and specific long-term targets for adopting a range of energy efficiency measures. One recommendation was to increase tree shading so that the city could sequester carbon dioxide, reduce the urban heat island effect, and lower ozone levels. In 2007, the city adopted a new tree protection ordinance as one step to protecting existing shade trees. This resolution also proposed green building goals, including adopting green building standards for public buildings, investigating incentives for green building construction, and developing an outreach and education program for the building community and government staff. The resolution also proposes increasing the urban forest canopy to 50% of the city’s land area by 2036. | See Chapter 17.14 |
| Southwest | California | Sacramento | Trees and Vegetation | Incentive or Rebate; Project or Program | Sacramento Shade – Since 1990, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) is partnering with the Sacramento Tree Foundation to provide more than 350,000 free shade trees to residents in the Sacramento area. This program encourages residents to strategically plant vegetation around their homes to reduce energy consumption. Homes with an eastern, western, or southern exposure that heats up during the summer are eligible for this program. SMUD provides trees between four and seven feet tall (1.2–2.2 meters), as well as stakes, ties, fertilizer, tree delivery, and expert advice on tree selection and planting techniques free of charge. Homeowners must agree to plant and care for the trees. | Rebates – Shade Trees |
| Southwest | California | Statewide | Trees and Vegetation | Incentive or Rebate | Urban Greening Grants – This program provides financial assistance to urban greening plans and projects in California. Up to $20 million of funds were available in Fiscal Year 2011/12. For a plan or project to be selected, it must meet certain requirements and go through a competitive selection process. | Urban Greening Grants Program |
| Southeast and Caribbean | Florida | Tallahassee | Cool Roofs | Incentive or Rebate | City of Tallahassee – Tallahassee offers loan programs for residential home or commercial upgrades to more energy efficient practices. One of these upgrades is for the installation of a reflective roof. The programs offer $500 to $20,000 for these loans, depending on the residents’ needs. The terms of the loan are for 5 years at 5% annual interest and a 1% processing fee, with no penalty for early payoff. There are no income requirements; residents only need to have 12 months of account history. | Energy Efficiency Loans |
| Northeast | Maryland | Montgomery | Cool Pavements; Green Roofs; Trees and Vegetation | Incentive or Rebate | RainScapes Rewards Rebate Program – The program provides rebates to property owners for stormwater control projects. There are nine measures that individuals can apply for, five of which help to reduce heat islands: rain gardens, increased urban tree canopy, incorporation of permeable pavers, pavement removal, and green roof installation. | Montgomery RainScapes Program |
| Midwest | Ohio | Cincinnati | Green Roofs | Incentive or Rebate | Green Roof Loan Program – The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati, and the Cincinnati Office of Environmental Quality offer low-interest loans to property owners for the design and construction of green roofs with a goal of counteracting the local heat island effect. The program also has an option to implement green infrastructure measures, including cisterns, bioswales, rain gardens, and/or pervious pavement. | Green Roof Loans |
| Great Plains | Texas | Austin | Cool Roofs | Incentive or Rebate | Austin Energy Efficiency Rebates – Austin Energy offers 15-cent-per-square-foot rebates for cool roof retrofits. Customers must use cool roof products that have a minimum reflectivity of 75%. | Multifamily Rebate , Commercial Rebate |
| Southwest | Arizona | Phoenix | Trees and Vegetation | Design Guide or Standard; Project or Program; Ordinance or Resolution; Code | Phoenix created its Walkable Urban Code in 2015 which species building types near light rail stations. One of the requirements is that sidewalks be at least 75% shaded. | Green Walking Districts |
| Midwest | Ohio | Cincinnati | Green Roofs | Plan | Green Cincinnati Plan – The Green Cincinnati Plan, originally adopted in 2008, was updated in 2013 and 2018. The updated plan goes beyond looking at financial savings from environmental improvements by emphasizing the impacts of sustainability measures on public health. The plan also recommends deployment of cool roofs on new construction, and incentivizes green roofs with expedited permitting. | Green Cincinnati Plan |
| Southwest | Arizona | Phoenix | Cool Roofs | Design Guide or Standard; Project or Program; Code | The implementation of the Phoenix Cool Roofs Initiative in 2012 further supported the goals of the city's Green Construction Code. The initiative coated more than 71,000 square feet of public roof tops with reflective materials. Implementation of cool roofs reduced building carbon emissions by an average of nearly 28 metric tons per year. Policy now dictates that all newly designed and renovated city buildings must include cool roof coatings. | Cool Roofs Initiative |
| Southwest | California | Statewide | Cool Pavements | Design Guide or Standard | AB 296 (Skinner) – AB 296 requires that the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) develop and publish a Cool Pavements Handbook that would outline a standard specification for cool pavements. Caltrans is required to conduct one or more cool pavement pilot projects and to report the cost information and results of the pilot projects to the California Legislature, and to incorporate references to the handbook in its Construction Manual. Caltrans is encouraged to work with other state agencies in California, and authorized to enter into an agreement with federal agencies such as EPA, or the Department of Energy, for development of the handbook. The Building Standards Commission are required, for the next triennial code adopted after January 1, 2015, to consider incorporating the specifications from the Cool Pavements Handbook into the California Green Building Standards Code. | AB 296 Bill Analysis |
| Southwest | California | Windsor | Cool Roofs; Green Roofs; Trees and Vegetation | Design Guide or Standard | Green Building Ordinance – The Green Building Ordinance in Windsor applies to all new residential and commercial construction projects as well as remodels that consist of at least 75% reconstruction of total building/residency. The ordinance states that buildings must follow “green building standards,” which include the use of certified sustainable wood products and energy efficient construction designs, as well as the incorporation of shade trees and cool reflective or green roofs. | Green Building Ordinance (PDF) |
| Great Plains | Texas | Dallas | Cool Roofs | Design Guide or Standard | Dallas Green Building Program Ordinance – Dallas passed this ordinance to establish a green building program. The program will consist of two phases; the first phase is focused on energy efficiency, water conservation and reduction of the heat island effect through cool roofs, and phase two will expand phase one to implement a comprehensive green building standard for all new construction. For new proposed commercial projects affecting less than 50,000 square feet of floor area, the requirements include energy efficiency, water conservation, cool roof requirements for low-slope roofs, and an outdoor lighting restriction. | See Item #3 (PDF) |
| Midwest | Illinois | Chicago | Cool Pavements; Green Roofs; Trees and Vegetation | Project or Program | Green Alleys – To manage stormwater runoff and reduce the heat island effect, Chicago established programs to increase green roofs, green stormwater infrastructure, green alleys, and other measures. The city’s Green Alleys program, which involves installing permeable and/or cool pavement materials, began in 2001, and through 2017 more than 300 green alleys have been constructed. | https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/cdot/provdrs/street/svcs/green_alleys.html |
| Great Plains | Nebraska | Omaha | Trees and Vegetation | Plan | Green Streets – This plan seeks to enhance landscaping and maintenance requirements along roadways to achieve a range of benefits, such as synergistic heat island reduction, enhanced stormwater management, and traffic safety. The plan includes guidance on installation and maintenance of trees, evaluation criteria for establishing priority projects, and recommendations for funding mechanisms. | Green Streets Plan |
| Southwest | Arizona | Phoenix | Trees and Vegetation | Plan; Design Guide or Standard | Tree and Shade Master Plan – The Master Plan is a product of the city’s interagency Tree and Shade Task Force that evaluated the causes of Phoenix's declining urban forest. The goals include creating a cooler, healthier, more livable, and prosperous city through strategic investment in urban forests and engineered shade. The Plan provides a roadmap to achieve 25% canopy coverage across the city. | |
| Northeast | District of Columbia | Washington | Cool Pavements; Cool Roofs; Trees and Vegetation | Plan; Design Guide or Standard | Green Construction Codes – On March 28, 2014, D.C. passed the 2013 DC Construction Codes, which include compliance with the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), cool roof requirements for private buildings, and a requirement that roofs either have a minimum Solar Reflectance Index rating of 78 or meet ENERGY STAR standards. | DC 2013 Updated Green Construction Codes |
| Midwest | Illinois | Evanston | Cool Pavements | Plan; Design Guide or Standard | City of Evanston Design Guidelines for Planned Developments – Evanston includes permeable pavements in its assessment of green buildings. | Design Guidelines for Planned Developments (PDF) |
| Northeast | Maryland | Baltimore | Cool Roofs; Green Roofs | Plan | Baltimore Climate Action Plan – The action plan promotes cool and green roof technology, with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 7,000 metric tons, and achieving a 30% participation rate from commercial buildings and residential buildings, respectively, by 2020. | City of Baltimore Climate Action Plan |
| Southwest | Utah | Highland | Cool Pavements; Cool Roofs; Trees and Vegetation | Plan; Design Guide or Standard | Highland City General Plan – Highland created a master plan for a 50-acre (200,000 m2) overlay zone to be privately developed as a town center. The city design guidelines for the zone recommended several heat island mitigation elements, including reflective roofing, reflective parking lot surfaces, and landscaping. These guidelines were then adopted into the zoning requirements for the town center. | General Plan Update 2008, Chapter 7: Community Design |
| Southwest | California | San Diego | Trees and Vegetation | Plan | San Diego Climate Protection Action Plan – San Diego identified several steps to help mitigate the urban heat island effect. These steps are included in the city's Climate Protection Action Plan and are as follows: develop and adopt an urban heat island mitigation policy; support the Community Forest Advisory Board and Community Forest Initiative, which includes planting 5,000 shade trees per year on public property for twenty years; develop a public tree protection policy; and annually review and revise existing policies that are related to tree planting, water reclamation, and open space preservation. | Executive Summary City of San Diego Climate Protection Action Plan (PDF) |
| Southwest | California | Chula Vista | Cool Pavements; Cool Roofs; Trees and Vegetation | Design Guide or Standard; Code; Project or Program; Ordinance or Resolution | Climate Adaptation Strategies – Chula Vista identified 11 climate adaptation strategies, three of which directly address urban heat islands: the installation of cooler paving products, cooler roofing materials, and the incorporation of more shade trees. The city is sponsoring a demonstration project that will evaluate multiple reflective pavement technologies and develop implementation options based on these results. All new residential buildings in Climate Zone 10 are required to have cool roofs. After new, more stringent California building standards come into effect, the city will evaluate amendments to their cool roof policy. Additionally, it is developing a policy to require all municipal improvement projects and private parking lot development projects to incorporate a certain percentage of shade trees based on the development size. | Climate Change Working Group – Climate Action Planning , 2013 Progress Report |
| Southwest | California | Martinez | Cool Pavements; Cool Roofs; Trees and Vegetation | Code; Project or Program; Design Guide or Standard; Ordinance or Resolution; Plan | Urban Heat Islands – Martinez is addressing the issue of urban heat islands in its climate action plan. The city aims to reduce the heat island effect through targeted upgrades of existing buildings and paved areas; adoption of new building standards, including the new cool roof standard contained in California’s Title 24 Energy Standards; tree planting; and new requirements for shading in new parking lots and other large paved areas. | City of Martinez Climate Action Plan |
| Northeast | Massachusetts | Boston | Cool Roofs; Green Roofs; Trees and Vegetation | Code; Project or Program; Design Guide or Standard | Green Building Zoning Code – Boston is decreasing carbon emissions associated with energy use in privately owned and operated buildings by implementing a Green Building Zoning Code. The zoning code requires all major construction projects greater than 50,000 square feet to adhere to the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED certification standards. Two of the points for this certification can be obtained by using urban heat island reduction strategies, one point coming from cool or green roofs and the other from non-roof strategies. | Boston Green Building Zoning Code |
| Northeast | New York | New York City | Cool Roofs | Design Guide or Standard; Code | Cool Roof Program - NYC CoolRoofs offers cool roof installations at no cost or low cost to select buildings, with priority given to non-profits and affordable housing. The program is also a workforce development initiative that provides job seeking New Yorkers with the opportunity to earn paid work experience and credentials in the construction sector. The program has an annual goal of installing one million square feet of rooftops. | NYC CoolRoofs |
| Southwest | California | Los Angeles | Cool Roofs | Design Guide or Standard | L.A. Cool Roofs Building Code – The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously to require "cool roofs" for all new and refurbished homes, becoming the first major U.S. city to do so. The cool roof mandate will not cost homeowners additional money because of expanded incentives. | L.A. Cool Roofs Building Code |
| Northeast | Pennsylvania | Philadelphia | Cool Roofs | Code | Cool Roof Code – Philadelphia requires that low-slope roofs on newly constructed buildings and additions to existing buildings use white roof coverings or those that are rated as highly reflective. The code exempts certain projects, including green roofs and those with rooftop solar photovoltaic systems. | Philadelphia Cool Roof Code |
| Southwest | California | Statewide | Cool Roofs | Code | California Code of Regulations: California's Energy Efficiency Standards for Residential and Nonresidential Buildings – In response to electrical power shortages, the state of California added cool roofs as an energy efficiency option to its building energy code (Title 24) in 2001. The code defines a cool roof as having a minimum solar reflectance of 70% and minimum thermal emittance of 75%, unless it is concrete or clay tile, in which case it can have a minimum solar reflectance of 40%. This 40% rating incorporates new cool-colored residential products into the standard. In 2005, these cool roof provisions became mandatory requirements for all new non-residential construction and re-roofing projects that involve more than 2,000 square feet (180 m2) or 50% replacement. The code allows owners to meet these requirements in a variety of ways. California updated Title 24, with revised standards finalized in 2008. | Title 24, Part 6 , 2013 Updates |
| Great Plains | Texas | Houston | Cool Roofs | Code | City of Houston Commercial Energy Conservation Code – Houston created this energy conservation code to provide requirements for the design and construction of new buildings. Cool roof requirements are included for new buildings. The code requires low slope roofs up to 2:12 to be covered with a surface that has a minimum solar reflectance of 0.70 and a minimum thermal emittance of 0.75. | Cool Roof Guidelines (PDF) |
| Midwest | Indiana | Clarksville and Richmond | Green Roofs; Trees and Vegetation; Other | Outreach and Education; Project or Program; Plan | Beat the Heat Initiative – Clarkesville and Richmond hired heat relief coordinators to lead assessments, work with community members, and develop projects and programs to help residents cope with extreme heat. As part of the initiative, the teams created heat management plans that include preparedness and response components and mitigation measures like home energy efficiency strategies for low-income residents and architectural and urban design to combat heat. | Beat the Heat Richmond , Beat the Heat Clarkesville |
| Southeast and Caribbean | Florida | Miami-Dade County | Other | Outreach and Education; Project or Program; Other | Chief Heat Officer and Extreme Heat Toolkit – In 2022, the county created the U.S.’s first Chief Heat Officer position. The Chief Heat Officer is responsible for coordinating all aspects of the county’s heat management efforts and launching a multi-stakeholder Climate and Heat Health Task Force. The county also created an extreme heat toolkit with policy and project options to adapt to and mitigate extreme heat. | Chief Heat Officer , Extreme Heat Toolkit , Climate and Heat Health Task Force |
| Northeast | Massachusetts | Cambridge | Cool Roofs; Green Roofs | Mapping or Research | Tracking Rooftop Albedo Changes – Researchers from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s DEVELOP program and Hunter College partnered with Cambridge’s community Development Department to devise a practical methodology to track changes in rooftop albedo – the fraction of solar energy that is reflected off roofs-- over time to determine whether the city is successfully reducing its heat island effect. A pilot of the approach showed that rooftop albedo has increased since 2010. The city has also completed a comprehensive analysis of its current and projected heat island intensity relative to different mitigation scenarios. | Methodology for Measuring Albedo Changes to Reduce Urban Heat |
| Southwest | Arizona | Phoenix | Cool Pavements | Project or Program | Cool Pavement Pilot – In 2021, the city selected neighborhoods from each City Council District to receive cool pavement treatment. The first year of the pilot program showed that the cool pavement surface temperatures in these communities were on average 10-12°F lower than traditional pavement surfaces in the afternoons. | Cool Pavement Program |
| Northwest | Washington | Cool Roofs; Trees and Vegetation | Incentive or Rebate; Project or Program | Legislation to Increase Tree Planting in Urban Coastal Areas – In 2021, Washington State enacted legislation that creates a program for electric utilities to conduct tree planting and receive donations from customers to fund tree-planting programs. The law authorizes the Utilities and Transportation Commission to approve financial incentives for utilities that offer tree-planting and cool roof programs. The legislation finds that the benefits of shade tree programs include reducing heat islands, saving energy, and improving air quality. | House Bill 1114 | |
| Southwest | New Mexico | Albuquerque | Trees and Vegetation | Mapping or Research | Climate Justice Modeling – Albuquerque’s 2021 Heat Watch Campaign report documents how the city’s frontline communities are most at risk to the negative health impacts from heat. The city plans to use this data to increase strategic tree plantings and tree canopy development. To aid in this goal, Albuquerque announced a collaboration with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s DEVELOP program to further conduct heat-related modeling. | 2021 Heat Watch Campaign Report , DEVELOP Collaboration |
| Southwest | Arizona | Tempe | Cool Pavements; Cool Roofs; Green Roofs; Smart Growth; Trees and Vegetation | Plan; Code | Climate Action Plan – Tempe’s 2022 Climate Action Plan features extreme heat as a priority climate change impact to address. The plan lays out multiple strategies to reduce heat islands and increase resilience to extreme heat, including: 1) advancing green infrastructure in the residential sector, 2) creating a green construction code encouraging more shade and tree canopy coverage, 3) ensuring heat equity through community engagement, and 4) developing a new approach to equitable urban cooling by incorporating citywide and neighborhood level solutions. | Tempe Climate Action Plan |
| Great Plains | Texas | San Antonio | Cool Roofs | Project or Program | Under 1 Roof – The Under 1 Roof residential roof repair program installs cool roofs for low-income homeowners. From 2015 to 2018, $2.95 million dollars were allocated to the program in part from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development funds. As of August 2018, 184 cool roofs were installed. For some residents, their new cool roofs resulted in annual savings of $1,800 in lower energy bills. | Roof Repair and Cool Roof Installation Program |
| Southwest | Colorado | Denver | Green Roofs; Smart Growth | Ordinance or Resolution | Green Building Ordinance – Enacted in 2018, Denver’s Green Building Ordinance applies to developers and property owners of new buildings, roof permits for existing buildings, or building additions – all those that are 25,000 square feet or larger. Most compliance options require building owners to install a cool roof and a second strategy from a list of strategies, such as green roofs, green space, and a variety of other green building practices like solar installation. As of the end of 2019 , the city issued permits for an estimated 65 construction projects subject to the ordinance. | Denver's Green Building Ordinance |
| Northeast | Pennsylvania | Philadelphia | Trees and Vegetation; Other | Outreach and Education | Beat the Heat Hunting Park Initiative and Toolkit – Philadelphia launched a community-driven, equity-focused approach to extreme heat planning in 2018 with the Beat the Heat Hunting Park Initiative. The Office of Sustainability worked with more than 30 government departments, community organizations, and stakeholders to convene Philadelphia’s first Heat Team. The Heat Team then engaged over 600 residents in Hunting Park – among the hottest and most heat vulnerable neighborhoods – in an eight-month community engagement process. Based on the feedback received, the city developed a heat relief plan for Hunting Park and a user-friendly step-by-step toolkit for other communities to use when designing their own heat plan. The toolkit features ten steps from conducting background research to engaging stakeholders and the public to promoting trees and neighborhood greening. | Beat the Heat |
| Northeast | New York | New York City | Cool Pavements; Cool Roofs; Green Roofs; Trees and Vegetation; Other | Plan; Project or Program | Cool Neighborhoods Report – This report summarizes New York City’s strategies for reducing heat islands, adapting to extreme heat, monitoring high heat-risk neighborhoods, and estimating benefits of heat island interventions. Ongoing programs include NYC Cool Roofs and Million TreesNYC. NYC Cool Roofs offers free cool roof installations on affordable housing and buildings that house nonprofits and low-cost installations on other buildings. Roofs are installed by individuals that receive job training and professional development resources as part of the program. Million TreesNYC aims to increase the city’s urban forest by 20% through collaborations among the city, private sector, and non-profit organizations to plant one million trees. | Cool Neighborhoods Report |
| Midwest | Illinois | Chicago | Trees and Vegetation; Other | Plans | Green Stormwater Infrastructure Strategy – This 2014 plan outlines a comprehensive set of strategies to address stormwater issues in the Chicago. Many of the actions have heat island reduction co-benefits by increasing vegetation or converting impervious surfaces into permeable vegetative landscapes. | Green Stormwater Infrastructure Strategy , City of Chicago Water Programs |
| Midwest | Ohio | Cleveland | Trees and Vegetation | Ordinance or Resolution | Complete and Green Streets Ordinance – Cleveland’s 2022 Complete and Green Streets ordinance strengthens its 2011 ordinance and calls for the creation of an improved complete and green streets policy for city-sponsored road projects. Requirements include incorporating green elements to streets such as trees or sidewalks constructed with permeable materials. | Complete and Green Streets |
| Great Plains | Texas | Dallas | Trees and Vegetation | Plan | Climate Action Plan and Increasing Tree Canopy – Dallas prioritized increasing tree canopy in both the private and public sectors after the Dallas Urban Heat Island Management Study (2017) identified tree planting as the most effective strategy to mitigate the city’s heat islands. The city began key efforts to protect its urban forests in 2021 as part of its Comprehensive Climate and Environmental Action Plan, including: 1) an Urban Forest Master Plan, 2) a tree inventory of all public lands, and 3) a Tree Task Force. | Comprehensive Climate and Environmental Action Plan , Urban Forest Master Plan |
| Midwest | Wisconsin | Milwaukee | Trees and Vegetation | Ordinance or Resolution | Green Infrastructure Ordinance – Milwaukee revised city ordinances in 2018 to require green infrastructure whenever developers submit a mandated stormwater management plan. The city is prioritizing green infrastructure strategies that add plants and vegetation to promote the co-benefits of heat island reduction, public health protection, and climate change resilience. | Green Infrastructure Plan |
| Southeast and Caribbean | Florida | Miami Beach | Cool Roofs; Trees and Vegetation | Ordinance or Resolution | Green Buildings Ordinance – A 2019 city ordinance established development review criteria that prioritize new green building projects and waive certain application fees for developments that use sustainable construction materials and vegetation. One of several motivations for the ordinance was to help reduce the contribution of new development to the city’s heat island effect. | Green Buildings Ordinance |
| Southwest | California | Los Angeles | Cool Pavements; Cool Roofs; Trees and Vegetation | Project or Program | Cool Neighborhoods – In 2021, the city’s Cool Streets LA program installed 200 blocks of cool pavement and planted nearly 2,000 new trees in eight of LA’s hottest neighborhoods. The program is designed to reach the city’s Green New Deal goal of piloting 10 cool neighborhoods projects in vulnerable communities by 2025. | Cool LA Neighborhoods |
| Southwest | California | Los Angeles | Cool Roofs | Code | Cool Roof Requirement – Los Angeles’s Cool Roof Requirement, implemented in 2014, is a city code that establishes reflectivity and thermal emittance requirements for new and replaced residential roofs. The code was updated in 2018 to increase the solar reflectivity requirements. The code has resulted in at least 20,000 new cool roofs in Los Angeles since implementation. | Los Angeles Residential Cool Roof Ordinance |
| Northeast | Maryland | Baltimore | Trees and Vegetation | Project or Program | Baltimore Tree Trust – The non-profit organization was founded in 2008 when the city pledged to double its tree canopy by 2037. Since inception, the Trust has worked with partner organizations and volunteers to plant 12,000 trees throughout the city. From 2012 to 2015, the organization focused efforts on the Harris Creek watershed, which was among the worst heat islands in the city, planting nearly 500 trees and de-paving tens of thousands of square feet of concrete. | Baltimore Tree Trust |
| Southwest | California | San Francisco | Green Roofs | Project or Program; Ordinance or Resolution | Better Roofs Ordinance – In 2017, San Francisco mandated solar roofing panels and living or green roofs on new buildings with a gross floor area of 2,000 square feet or more and 10 or fewer occupied floors. The mandate requires that the features cover between 15 and 30 percent of the roof space. | Better Roofs |
| Midwest | Minnesota | Minneapolis | Smart Growth | Ordinance or Resolution | Smart Growth: Parking, Loading, and Mobility Regulations – Minneapolis’ 2018 Comprehensive Plan included a smart growth ordinance. The ordinance increased bicycle parking requirements and significantly reduced the maximum parking allowances granted citywide. These regulations align with Minneapolis’ goal of increasing climate resilience, which includes heat island reduction. | Minneapolis 2040 Parking, Loading, and Mobility Regulations |
| Northeast | District of Columbia | Washington | Trees and Vegetation; Other | Incentive or Rebate | Permeable Surface Rebate Program – In 2022 Washington, DC began partnering with a nonprofit organization to run a rebate incentive program designed to reduce impervious surfaces in the city. Impervious surfaces voluntarily removed and replaced with vegetation by homeowners in some wards of the city are eligible for a $5 per sq. ft. rebate (min. 200 sq ft area), and impervious surfaces removed and replaced with permeable pavers are eligible for a $10/sq. ft. rebate (min. 100 sq ft area). | Permeable Surface Rebate Program |
| Northeast | District of Columbia | Washington | Green Roofs; Other | Incentive or Rebate; Project or Program | Washington, DC instituted the Stormwater Retention Credit Trading Program in 2013 to increase green infrastructure to reduce stormwater overflows and improve other environmental conditions in the city. Stormwater retention credits, which are generated by voluntarily installing green infrastructure or by removing impervious surfaces, can be sold on an open market to properties that have regulatory requirements for managing stormwater. Participants also have the option to sell credits to the city at a fixed price to create certainty for their operations. Green roofs are eligible as one of the strategies. | Stormwater Retention Credit Trading Program |
| Great Plains | Texas | Austin | Trees and Vegetation | Ordinance or Resolution | The City of Austin Tree Ordinance requires permits to remove or impact trees if they fall within these classifications: 8- to 18-inch diameter, Protected Trees (19” or larger), and Heritage Trees (24” or larger). On commercial and multifamily properties any tree that is 8 inches or greater in diameter is regulated. On residential property, regulated trees are those 19 inches or more in diameter. For trees designated as Heritage Trees and that are 30” or more in diameter, a variance must be granted through a public review process. | City of Austin Tree Ordinance |
| Northeast | Massachusetts | Somerville | Cool Roofs; Green Roofs; Trees and Vegetation; Other | Ordinance or Resolution | Zoning Ordinance with Green Score – Somerville’s zoning ordinance establishes minimum Solar Reflectance Index requirements for roofs and parking areas. Residential and commercial developments must also meet a minimum sustainability performance standard, or “Green Score.” Buildings can achieve a higher Green Score by taking steps to reduce heat islands, such as installing green roofs, vegetated walls, and other greening strategies. | Somerville Zoning Ordinance |