CLIMATE RESILIENCE
How Do We Beat the Heat?
Lasting fixes for extreme heat — and the climate crisis more broadly — require system-wide action.
Leaders must recognize heat as a serious public health threat and respond with strong support systems, invest in practical technology, and create dedicated roles to manage its impacts. At the same time, while we advocate for these structural changes, individuals can still contribute in meaningful ways.
Proposed Solutions
Various groups have different roles: policymakers, organizers, employers, farmers, and residents all help build local resilience.
Cities in particular need tighter coordination across departments and stronger partnerships with outside organizations to make solutions durable. When city planning, public health, social services, meteorology, and emergency management work hand-in-hand, communities are better prepared to handle extreme heat. Guided by the NC Heat Action Plan Toolkit, we are proposing solutions tailored to the City and County of Durham — practical measures local stakeholders can adopt and act on now.
- City of Durham Public Services should send heat-season alerts (text/email, multilingual) early and often.
- Shift outdoor work hours; require shade, water, and paid cool-down breaks during peak heat.
- Strengthen the Durham County Office of Emergency Services protocols for heat illness and surge response.
- The Planning & Development Department of the City of Durham must continue coordinating with weather, emergency management, and health agencies.
- Add more cooling stations/shelters, especially in rural areas of Durham County, where current centers are often too far away. Extend hours of cooling shelters during heat emergencies.
- Grow tree canopy and cool surfaces, prioritizing historically redlined areas.
- Co-design solutions with vulnerable communities.
- Cool the built environment: redesign streets/buildings etc., to reduce heat.
- Push for the official classification of extreme heat as a disaster to unlock funding. This will help in pursuing FEMA funding for heat projects and clarify eligibility to reduce grant barriers.
- Work with FEMA to create area-specific plans to mitigate heat-related emergencies
- Expand utility assistance and fan/AC programs during heat waves.
- Bake heat-risk reductions into city and county budgets and policies.
- Appoint a city “Heat Officer” (none currently in NC/Durham).
- Install chilled water fountains in parks, downtown, and areas with many unhoused residents.
- Provide heat-safety resources at large city events like the Bimbé Cultural Arts Festival or Eno River Festival.
- Keep libraries (cooling centers) open Sundays and later during heat emergencies.
- Partner with Duke’s Nicholas Institute on cross-sector heat solutions.
- Make paid cool-down breaks mandatory.
- Outdoor workers in Durham —such as construction, delivery, cartage, and waste collection workers — can be protected through heat safety programs that provide water, adjusted work schedules, training, buddy systems to spot heat illness, and protective gear like hats and reflective shields.
- Indoor workers — such as manufacturing and factory workers, food service workers, laundry workers etc. — can be protected through implementation of better engineering controls like ventilation, installation of spot cooling fans and air conditioners and, insulation of hot surfaces to reduce heat emissions. Mechanical equipment like conveyors can be used to reduce manual work and heat exposure.
- Set up a heat-stress prevention and emergency plan. It should clearly explain how to spot early warning signs (like dizziness, nausea, or confusion) and what to do right away, including first aid steps and when/how to get medical help. The North Carolina Department of Labor offers workplace heat-stress training and resources you can use.
- Require annual, accessible heat-stress training for all employees.
- Partner with local agencies like the Durham County Office of Emergency Services (OES), Durham County Department of Social Services, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and City of Durham Community Safety Department (HEART) to deliver aid quickly during heat emergencies.
- Acquire training in practical education that would equip you to spot, treat, and prevent heat-related illnesses.
- Require medical, nursing, and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) programs, to cover specific content on climate-change health risks.
- Use green infrastructure: Green roofs/Eco-roofs (rooftops that are partially or completely covered with vegetation), tree-lined streets, and permeable pavements to lower surface temperatures and add shade. Green roofs, in particular, absorb less heat than traditional rooftops and act as natural insulation, helping cool buildings and the surrounding air.
- Build designs with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards: Integrate these strategies through LEED certification to encourage energy-efficient, climate-resilient construction. Together, these measures reduce the urban heat island effect, improve air quality, cut energy demand, and create healthier, more livable neighborhoods.
- Urban climatologists can propose systems to quickly warn the public when extreme heat conditions are on the way and develop predictive models to anticipate heat waves.
- Climate scientists can analyze atmospheric conditions and climate data to model future heatwave trends, helping communities anticipate risks and develop long-term adaptation plans.
- Materials scientists: Develop innovative materials that are more resilient to heat. This includes creating advanced heat-resistant composites for infrastructure, protective coatings for buildings, and materials that can absorb heat to provide passive cooling.
- Support policymakers by giving them clear, evidence-based recommendations they can act on.
- Encourage policymakers to adopt stronger, heat-resilient policies that protect communities.
- Launch awareness campaigns through TV, newspapers, online platforms, and other media to share practical tips on coping with extreme heat.
- Strengthen community support by sharing knowledge and appointing “wellness captains” who can check in on neighbors, especially those most at risk.
- Example: The Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs runs National Heat Stress Prevention Week to help outdoor workers build resilience against extreme heat. Their programming includes a heat stress prevention training marathon, easy-to-use, take-home materials with prevention tips, and a social media campaign to spread awareness.
- The absence of federal mandates for heat safety standards in schools and childcare facilities has left many institutions without adequate cooling infrastructure, posing health risks to children and educators during extreme heat events.
- Include detailed heat safety measures in existing emergency action plans so they are ready to use when needed.
- Keep air conditioning systems well-maintained to make sure they work properly during heat waves.
- For sports and outdoor activities, always provide plenty of water and electrolyte drinks to keep people hydrated.
- Drink water regularly and stay hydrated throughout the day.
- Dress smart for the heat: wear loose, lightweight, and light-colored clothes.
- Limit sun exposure by staying in the shade or indoors whenever possible.
- Take it easy during peak heat hours and avoid heavy or strenuous work.
- Learn the risks of extreme heat so you know how it can affect your health.
- Look out for others by sharing important information about heat risks with friends, family, and neighbors.
Case Studies: Cities Doing it Right
Berlin, Germany: “The Sponge City”
AUDIENCE: POLICYMAKERS
Germany’s Capital city, Berlin, is working to transform its hard surfaces into green, water-permeable ones. The city is also focused on better communication with residents about climate risks, setting up monitoring systems to boost resilience, and encouraging rooftops covered with moss or grass to help keep buildings cool.
More information can be found here.
Toronto, Canada: Extreme Heat Events Media Day
AUDIENCE: MEDIA PROFESSIONALS AND PUBLIC HEALTHCARE WORKERS
Every May, before summer heat sets in, Toronto hosts an “Extreme Heat Event Media Day.” This gives the media the latest information about the health risks of heat waves and how to share that information effectively with the public.
More information can be found here.
Chicago, US: Green Roofs
AUDIENCE: RESIDENTS AND POLICYMAKERS
Chicago is a leader in green roofs, that is, rooftops fully covered with vegetation growing in soil over a waterproof layer. The city has about 300 buildings with green roofs, covering 3 million square feet in total. To encourage even wider adoption of green roof practices, Chicago now offers grants and stormwater credits to new green roof owners.
More information can be found here.
Helpline and Resources
The following resources are meant to raise awareness about extreme heat in Durham and help people protect themselves and their neighbors. They also support the core goals of the NC Heat Action Toolkit.
Resources for Community Members in Durham
Libraries in Durham serve as cooling centers during regular business hours. You can find the nearest library using the interactive cooling station map.
- The Durham County Main Library (300 N. Roxboro St.) and the Durham County Library- Southwest Regional Branch (3605 Shannon Rd.) are good options.
- Hours: Monday- Wednesday, 9:30 am to 8 pm; Thursday-Saturday, 9:30 am to 6 pm; closed Sundays.
These hubs focus on:
- Community-based emergency preparedness
- Climate resilience planning and participatory research
- Training in advocacy, organizing, and building a regenerative local economy
More details on these organizing hubs can be found here.
Note: The City of Durham is planning to develop resilience hubs in Durham to help vulnerable communities prepare for and recover from climate change impacts.
- Provides up to $600 in emergency aid for households facing heating or cooling crises.
- Helps prevent utility shutoffs and unsafe indoor temperatures.
- Available year-round (July 1–June 30) through the Durham County Department of Social Services.
Eligibility:
- Must meet income requirements.
- At least one eligible U.S. citizen/eligible alien in the household. There shall be verification of citizenship/eligible alien status via the Immigration and Naturalization Service
- Proof of energy-related crisis and outstanding utility expenses.
How to Apply:
- Online via ePASS, or
- Contact Durham DSS at 919-560-8000.
Minor Repair Program
- Provides grants for critical home repairs like roofing, heat/AC, plumbing, and electrical.
- Helps elderly (62+) and disabled, low-income homeowners remain safe in their homes.
- Income must be less than 50% of the median (as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development).
- Owners must have lived in the home as their principal residence for at least one year prior to applying.
How to Apply:
- Forms available here.
- Send completed applications (with documents) to Habitat for Humanity of Durham (email, mail, or hand delivery).
Substantial Rehabilitation Program
- Offers up to $35,000 in housing repair funds for plumbing, heat/AC, and electrical.
- Same eligibility criteria as Minor Repair Program.
Contact:
- Habitat for Humanity of Durham
215 North Church Street
Durham, NC 27701
Phone: (919) 682-0516
Email: repairs@durhamhabitat.org
This department works to:
- Enforce housing and property maintenance ordinances
- Promote civic engagement and neighborhood storytelling
- Provide community mini-grants
- Address public nuisances and ensure cleaner, safer neighborhoods
- Tackle housing discrimination in rentals, employment, and public spaces
For service requests, call (919) 560-1200.
Durham Local Government Authorities Responsible For Heat-Related Services
Focuses on climate resilience initiatives, including addressing extreme heat and urban heat islands. Learn more here.
Contact Sustainability Manager Tobin L. Freid: 919-560-7999
Promotes and protects public health through inspections and enforcement of health regulations, which include monitoring environmental factors like extreme heat. Learn more here.
Contact: 919-560-7800
Email: healthinspector@dconc.gov
Coordinates emergency response and recovery activities during disasters, including heat-related emergencies. Visit the Alert Durham portal here.
Contact: 919-560-0660
Provides public health services and information, including guidance on coping with extreme heat. Visit their website here.
Contact: 919-560-7600
Email: health@dconc.gov
Resources for Local Governments and Organizations to Access Heat Management Funds
This is an interactive tool designed to give local leaders across North Carolina the information, support, and strategies they need to strengthen their communities and natural environments. The website also hosts a funding database to build resilience to climate impacts including extreme heat.
More information can be found here.
The Legacy Tree Fund is the North Carolina Urban Forest Council’s (NCUFC) main grant program. Each year, it helps both urban and rural communities with tree-planting projects. Past recipients include neighborhood associations, garden clubs, block organizations, and other nonprofit groups. The NCUFC gives preference to applications that actively involve community members and raise public awareness about the many benefits trees bring to the places where we live, work, study, and play.
More information can be found here, and the funding application is available here.
Funded by FEMA and managed with the North Carolina Division of Emergency Management (NCEM), the BRIC Program supports long-term community resilience. NCEM oversees the State’s Hazard Mitigation Plan, reviews BRIC sub-applications, recommends projects that are technically sound and cost-effective, and distributes funds once FEMA approves them.
Who can apply?
- State agencies
- Local governments/communities
- Organizations assisting economically disadvantaged rural communities
Details about the application process and timeline can be found here.
Data-Based Resources to Educate Yourself on Heat Stress
Story Maps by Climate Mapping for Resilience and Adaptation
This federal website offers a variety of data tools to help track extreme heat and analyze trends at the national, regional, and local levels.
Environmental Protection Agency-Adapting to Heat
This EPA site highlights strategies for reducing the impacts of extreme heat, especially in urban areas. It stresses planning, early warning systems, cooling centers, and long-term solutions like green roofs and more tree cover.
Environmental Protection Agency-Natural Disasters
This page offers guidance on preparing for and responding to extreme heat, emphasizing maintaining cooling systems, using energy-efficient practices, planting trees, and creating reflective surfaces.
National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)
NCEI tracks billion-dollar climate disasters since 1980, detailing their frequency, costs, and human impacts. This database helps communities prepare and plan for resilience.
Environmental Public Health- Heat & Health Tracker
This dashboard shows how communities are exposed to heat, the related health outcomes, and the resources available to protect people during heat events.
American Planning Association-Planning for Urban Heat Resilience
This guide explains how extreme heat disproportionately affects marginalized communities and offers a framework that includes setting goals, collecting data, developing strategies, and involving communities in the process.
U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit-Extreme Heat Section
This toolkit helps communities understand and address extreme heat risks and provides guidance on early warnings, urban greening, and infrastructure improvements, along with case studies, tools, and funding opportunities.
Heat Policy Innovation Hub-Duke Nicholas Institute
This initiative focuses on cross-sector solutions to extreme heat. It creates toolkits, policy briefs, and risk maps that are locally tailored, with a strong focus on equity.
National Weather Service-Heat Safety Tips and Resources
The National Weather Service provides safety tips, issues heat alerts for local areas, offers heat watch alerts when extreme heat is likely, and provides tools to assess heat stress potential and information on heat-related illnesses.
Environmental Protection Agency-Heat Islands
This resource explains urban heat islands (UHI), how roads and buildings absorb and re-emit heat, raising city temperatures. It covers causes, impacts like higher energy use and health risks, and solutions such as green roofs, trees, and cool pavements.
Regional Resilience Toolkit
This toolkit offers a five-step process to help communities plan for climate hazards like extreme heat. It also provides practical resources like how-to guides, stakeholder exercises, and templates.
Mapping Campaigns-Urban Heat Island (UHI)
Led by the National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS), these campaigns engage communities in collecting temperature data to map heat disparities.
Addendum
Recent federal policy shifts have significantly impacted Durham's capacity to address extreme heat. The recent substantial budget and personnel cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have led to over 1,000 job reductions, undermining the agency's ability to forecast dangerous weather and conduct climate research. These cuts have also resulted in the suspension of weather alert translations into Spanish and other languages, limiting access to critical information for non-English-speaking residents.**
These developments underscore the necessity for robust local initiatives and advocacy to ensure community resilience against escalating heat threats. The City and County of Durham must consider investing in localized, equity-centered solutions that fill the gaps left by federal rollbacks. This includes expanding multilingual heat alerts, funding school and childcare cooling upgrades, and developing community-driven early warning and response systems. Partnering with local universities, health departments, and grassroots organizations can help strengthen data collection, public education, and emergency planning. This would help the City of Durham become better prepared for a rapidly changing climate while ensuring all communities are equitably protected.
**Note that several local and regional organizations in North Carolina, including the City of Durham, provide weather and safety information in Spanish. The City of Durham posts severe weather updates and resources in Spanish on its official Facebook page, “La Ciudad de Durham en Español.”
Heat Waves: A Resource Guide for Durham
SCSJ’s Heat Waves resource addresses Durham’s distinct vulnerabilities by providing tailored, data-driven solutions, which supports equity and promotes community resilience.