Sustainability
Climate
Climate indicators incorporate the urban heat island (UHI), energy demand through the use of heating and cooling, and human comfort. These indicators measure conditions that influence the environmental, social, and economic characteristics of the region. The UHI measures the rise in minimum daily temperatures that reduces human comfort levels, increases energy use, and jeopardizes tourism and investment opportunities for the region if people choose to locate elsewhere. The heat index measures how hot it feels rather than what the actual temperature is. When heat and humidity combine to reduce the amount of evaporation of sweat from the body, outdoor exercise becomes dangerous even for those in good shape. Degree days are a measure of time needed to cool or heat a building to a comfortable temperature; this reflects energy demand through the use of air conditioning units or furnaces. The economic consequence of increases in degree days is greater energy costs to maintain comfortable interior climates. Misery hours measure temperatures considered to be in a "danger" range, with increased possibility that sunstroke, heat cramps, and heat exhaustion will occur.
