Heat Vulnerability Index Research Articles

Assessing demographic and socioeconomic susceptibilities to heatwaves in the Southeastern United Kingdom

As climate change intensifies, the frequency and intensity of heatwaves are rising to pose significant health risks. Population vulnerability, influenced by socio-economic and demographics factors, is a widespread concern. We analysed heat vulnerability by demonstrating usefulness of principal component analysis on recent, localised census data at lower super output scale for vulnerability factors such as poverty, access to cooling facilities, age, and gender for a non-city yet highly heat risk vulnerable case study of Surrey, UK. Four major factors (poverty, elderly population, unemployed students, daily commute) were identified, creating a cumulative Heat Vulnerability Index, aiding in prioritising interventions and mapping vulnerable areas. Mapping revealed most areas had a moderate vulnerability level of 3 out of 6 for individual major factors, with cumulative scores ranging from 11 to 12 out of 20. The study emphasises the interconnectedness of vulnerability factors and highlights the applicability of the approach beyond Surrey. The demonstrated methodology provides a valuable template for vulnerability assessments in regions facing similar challenges and have its up-to-date effective heat action plan underlining the importance of tailored strategies for comprehensive heat risk management (e.g. cooling centres, transport aid, multilingual risk communication and home visits). Policymakers can utilise the insights gained to develop targeted measures for vulnerable populations and manage heat-related issues effectively on a global scale.

Assessing heat vulnerability and multidimensional inequity: Lessons from indexing the performance of Australian capital cities

Increased extreme heat, driven by rapid urbanisation and climate change, has caused increasing heat-related deaths, and posed significant threats to vulnerable populations. Studies have proposed many heat vulnerability indices, but most lack comprehensiveness in study design and validation. Furthermore, a significant gap remains for an analysis of inequity in heat vulnerability assessment research, a crucial component for promoting thermal equity. This paper introduces a Comprehensive Heat Vulnerability Index (CHVI) for Australia's capital cities, using socio-demographic, health, and environmental indicators at the finest statistical level, the Statistical Area 1 (SA1) scale, and employs the Gini coefficient to analyse inequity in heat vulnerability. Key findings include: (a) Heat vulnerability exposure decreases from urban to rural areas, with sensitivity exhibiting similar trends but more pronounced regional variations; (b) Adaptive capacity increases as exposure decreases, though this pattern is not consistent in city centres and certain regions; (c) The CHVI effectively measures heat vulnerability, demonstrating strong correlations with Pearson Correlation Coefficients of 0.68 and 0.92; (d) The distribution of heat vulnerability aligns with exposure trends but shows greater regional diversity, and city centres tend to have lower vulnerability levels; (e) Thermal inequity among SA1s is influenced by factors such as the Indigenous population, unemployment rates, English proficiency, and public transportation usage; (f) There is a slight variation in these factors of thermal inequity across each capital city. The findings provide a comprehensive understanding of heat vulnerability and thermal inequity in the Australian capital cities that could aid in informing climate resilience and adaptation strategies and policies for sustainable development.

Variation in community heat vulnerability for Shenyang City under local climate zone perspective

Assessing heat vulnerability is essential for analyzing and improving the urban thermal environment. We developed a heat vulnerability model to examine the spatial distribution characteristics of thermal vulnerability and its relationship with local climate zones (LCZs) in Shenyang City at the community level. Additionally, we thoroughly explored the change patterns of heat vulnerability in communities with similar LCZ components. Our findings revealed that: (1) Building-type LCZs exhibited a non-uniform distribution, with LCZ8 representing the largest proportion, and LCZ1 and LCZ2 accounting for the smallest proportions. Nature-type LCZ communities were distributed along the Hun River and in some areas of the northwest and south, with LCZD having the largest proportion and LCZB the smallest. (2) Building height was positively correlated with the heat vulnerability index (HVI), while building density had minimal impact on HVI. LCZ8 had the highest HVI, and LCZG had the lowest. (3) Clustering the communities revealed that buildings had a greater impact on HVI than impervious surfaces. Creating strong ventilation and increasing the number of nature-type LCZs were identified as the most important factors for community development. These results highlight the differences in heat vulnerability among communities with various landscape configurations, providing a theoretical basis for targeted community structure adjustments and the reduction of urban thermal risks.

Comparison and theoretical conceptualization analysis of statistical methods used to develop heat vulnerability indices in urban areas

In view of the impact of extreme temperatures on physical and psychological health, particularly in urban areas, several studies have focused on assessing social vulnerability using quantitative indexing approaches with the aim of creating a heat vulnerability index (HVI). In this context, this study employs three statistical methodologies frequently used to construct HVIs on the territory of the Toulouse Métropole, France, at the census block (IRIS) scale to assess the efficiency of this type of approach for evaluating social vulnerability in urban environments considering the current theoretical conceptualization. The three HVIs show the same general trends, with a spatial configuration in which high levels of vulnerability are concentrated in the downtown and suburbs of the Toulouse municipality. Vulnerability gradually decreases away from the urban core, becoming moderate in the inner suburbs and low on the outskirts. However, a spatial analysis of the clusters reveals variability in the boundaries of the vulnerability hotspots. Value class matching indicates that a significant number of census blocks are classified differently according to the method considered. These results raise questions concerning the ability of HVIs to provide reliable vulnerability assessments, given their geostatistical and conceptual limitations. Indexing approaches therefore appear to contradict current theoretical conceptualizations promoting the concept of vulnerability as being complex and multifactorial.

Enhancing Sustainability: Quantifying and Mapping Vulnerability to Extreme Heat Using Socioeconomic Factors at the National, Regional and Local Levels

Population-dense urban areas often concentrate high commercial and industrial activity and intricate transportation systems. In crowded cities, extreme events can be even more damaging due to the high population they affect and the social inequalities that are likely to emerge. Extreme heat is a climate hazard that has been linked to high morbidity and mortality, especially in cities with high population densities. The way extreme heat events are felt in the population varies depending on a variety of factors, such as age, employment status, living conditions, air-conditioning, housing conditions, habits, behaviors and other socio-demographic parameters. In this article, we quantify and locate vulnerabilities of populations to extreme heat in order to formulate policy and practice recommendations that will make communities resilient and will shape the transition to a more sustainable future. This work contributes towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 11—Sustainable Cities and Communities—by developing the tools to make cities and settlements resilient and sustainable. To this end, we analyze socioeconomic data at the NUTS3 level for the national case study of Greece and at the census tract level for the local case study of the city of Athens. The target variable for this study is defined as the average daily mortality during heatwaves per 100,000 individuals, and a methodology is developed for constructing this variable based on socioeconomic data available in public databases. The independent variables were selected based on their contribution to socioeconomic vulnerability; they include the percentage of elderly individuals, retirees, unemployed persons, renters, those living alone, those residing in smaller houses, those living in older houses and immigrants from developing countries. An ensemble gradient boosted tree model was employed for this study to obtain feature importance metrics that was used to construct a composite index of socioeconomic heat vulnerability. The socioeconomic heat vulnerability index (SHVI) was calculated for each prefecture in Greece and for each census tract in the city of Athens, Greece. The unique feature of this SHVI is that it can be applied to any geographical resolution using the same methodology and produces a result that is not only quantifiable, but also facilitates a comparison between vulnerability scores across different regions. This application aimed to map the SHVI of both prefecture and city, to examine the significance of scale, to identify vulnerability hotspots, and rank the most vulnerable areas, which are prioritized by authorities for interventions that protect public health.

Association between Heat Vulnerability Index and Stroke Severity.

Socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods are particularly vulnerable to heat-related illnesses. We aim to investigate the association between the heat vulnerability index (HVI), an established neighborhood-level metric of heat-related mortality risk, and acute ischemic stroke (AIS) severity. We conducted a retrospective analysis of consecutive AIS admissions to a comprehensive stroke center between 2012 and 2021. Stroke severity was defined upon admission based on the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). Demographic, socioeconomic, and clinical characteristics were extracted from electronic health records. HVI status was assigned using residential ZIP codes. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed. Of 3429 AIS admissions, 1123 (32.8%) were from high-HVI (scores 4-5) neighborhoods and 868 (25.3%) had severe stroke (NIHSS score ≥ 10). In the multivariable regression model with stepwise selection, a high HVI was independently associated with severe stroke (adjusted odds ratio: 1.40 [95% confidence interval 1.16-1.69]). The association between a high HVI and severe stroke underscores the importance of targeting policy interventions to mitigate heat-related illness in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods.

Artificial intelligence for predicting urban heat island effect and optimising land use/land cover for mitigation: Prospects and recent advancements

Rocketing global urbanisation has caused an increase in the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect, resulting in various negative implications for the urban environment. Quantifying the Surface UHI (SUHI) effect using Land Surface Temperature (LST), Local Climate Zones (LCZ), and deep learning algorithms such as Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) and pix2pix have prospects in aiding sustainable city planning and modification. Most research on mitigating SUHI promotes greenery as a solution, allowing LCZ optimisation to be explored. Using Heat Vulnerability Index (HVI) and evolutionary algorithms like Genetic Algorithms (GA) and Particle Swarm Optimisation (PSO) show promise in achieving high-quality optimisation solutions. This short communication explores the potential of these artificial intelligence technologies to combat the UHI effect and enhance urban sustainability.

Co-producing an urban heat climate service for UK cities: A case study of Belfast, Northern Ireland

UK city decision makers in local governments are coming under increasing pressure to plan for extreme heat events due to the increasing frequency and intensity of such events. While these local authorities are aware of the potential impacts of climate change, many highlight the need for more robust evidence of local climate risks to inform climate planning. Characterising the current and future spatial variability of heat risks can help city decision makers identify vulnerable populations, inform planning, and prioritise action. This paper explores the co-development of a prototype urban heat climate service for UK cities with stakeholders in the pilot city of Belfast, Northern Ireland. This two-tier service uses the latest high-resolution UK Climate Projections to assess changes in impact relevant heat indicators summarised in a bespoke set of factsheets for building awareness (Tier 1). Tier 2 combines this information with socio-economic and built environment data to provide geospatial, decision-relevant, heat risk information at the sub-city scale using a Heat Vulnerability Index (HVI) and communicated using StoryMaps. This work highlights the importance of considering the different components of risk (hazard, sensitivity and adaptive capacity) when planning interventions for extreme heat to ensure local vulnerabilities are adequately addressed. It also highlights the minimum level of heat risk to which we are now committed locally under current emission pledges. This work also explores the lessons learnt in co-production, the impact this service has had on local decision making and explores options for upscaling.

EXTREME HEAT VULNERABILITY AMONG OLDER ADULTS: A MULTILEVEL RISK INDEX FOR PORTLAND, OREGON

Abstract Extreme heat is an environmental health equity concern disproportionately impacting low- income older adults and people of color. Exposure factors, such as living in rental housing and lack of air conditioning, and sensitivity factors, such as chronic disease and social isolation, increase mortality risk among older adults. Older persons face multiple barriers to adaptive heat mitigation, particularly for those living in historically temperate climates. This study measures two heat vulnerability indices to identify areas and individuals most vulnerable to extreme heat and discusses opportunities to mitigate vulnerability among older adults. We constructed two heat vulnerability indices for the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area: one using area scale proxy measures extracted from existing regional data and another at the individual scale using survey data collected following the 2021 Pacific Northwest Heat Dome event. These indices were analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Results indicate that the spatial distribution of areas and individuals vulnerable to extreme heat are quite different. The only area found among the most vulnerable on both indices has the largest agglomeration of age- and income-restricted rental housing in the metropolitan area. Due to spatial variations in heat-related risk at the individual and area scales, measures addressing heat risk should not be spatially uniform. By focusing resources on older adult individuals and areas in particular need of assistance, heat risk management policies can be both highly efficient and cost-effective.

Mapping of heat vulnerability in Indian Urban Centres under threat of global warming

There is a need for a multi-dimensional approach to map heat vulnerability in urban areas to address the growing threat of heat waves in India. However, heat action planning in India is currently underdeveloped, and previous studies have used diverse and fragmented methods to assess vulnerability. The present study aimed to present a unified framework for mapping heat vulnerability in Indian urban centres based on the systematic review of literature. The framework included three techniques: unweighted additive overlay, weighted additive overlay, and principal component analysis (PCA), for constructing a composite index called the heat vulnerability index (HVI). The PCA-based approach was particularly suitable when multiple criteria were involved in assessing heat vulnerability, as it could capture the underlying relationships between them. Moreover, using GIS-based maps helped to visualize and reveal critical information about vulnerable areas, aiding in identifying priority regions for heat interventions. The study also examines the meaning of HVIs and the sensitivity of the techniques to three factors: the selected indicators, construction method, and scale of analysis. By providing a common framework for assessing heat vulnerability, the study would be helpful to support policymakers in prioritizing interventions to reduce the impact of heat waves on vulnerable populations in Indian cities and beyond, which are also experiencing varying levels of impact from global warming.

A framework to assess the contextual composite heat vulnerability index for a heritage city in India- A case study of Madurai

In developing cities, rapid urbanization and climate change leads to drought and urban heat island effects which affects the energy consumption, economy and the environment. Extreme temperature rise has amplified the stress on vulnerable groups and has reduced livability. The sustainability of a city lies in the adaptability of the city to the climatic stresses. The role of adaptability is guided by the contextual vulnerability assessment of the city. This paper intends to assess the contextual vulnerability of Madurai, an ancient city with high social and cultural value. Composite heat vulnerability index (CHVI), a function of exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity of the context has been construed by many as the quantitative representation of the vulnerability of a place to high temperature. This paper focuses on the development of a framework to assess the CHVI considering the contextual socio-cultural indicators like social capital and cultural value along with components of meteorological, geophysical, biophysical, fragility, socially-marginalised, and development quotient .The research methodology identifies suitable context specific indicators, computes and maps exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity indices, spatially maps the categorised vulnerable zones and identifies the critical indicators that contribute to vulnerability. The framework can support decision-making to enable socially resilient cities.

Differential Urban Heat Vulnerability: The Tale of Three Alabama Cities

Urban heat vulnerability varies within and across cities, necessitating detailed studies to understand diverse populations’ specific vulnerabilities. This research assessed urban heat vulnerability at block group level in three Alabama cities: Birmingham, Montgomery, and Auburn-Opelika. The vulnerability index combines exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity subindices, incorporating Landsat 8 satellite-derived Land Surface Temperature (LST), demographic, and socioeconomic data using factor analysis and geospatial techniques. Results showed strong positive correlations between LST and impervious surfaces in Auburn-Opelika and Montgomery, with a moderate correlation in Birmingham. An inverse correlation between LST and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index was observed in all cities. High LST correlated with high population density, varying across cities. Birmingham and Montgomery’s central areas exhibited the highest heat exposure, influenced by imperviousness, population density, and socioeconomic factors. Auburn-Opelika had limited high heat exposure block groups, and high sensitivity did not always align with exposure. Correlations and cluster analysis were used to dissect the heat vulnerability index, revealing variations in contributing factors within and across cities. This study underscores the complex interplay of physical, social, and economic factors in urban heat vulnerability and emphasizes the need for location-specific research. Local governance, community engagement, and tailored interventions are crucial for addressing unique vulnerabilities in each urban context.

Computational Review and Assessment of The Urban Heat Island Effect and Its Impact on Building Space Conditioning

This paper reviews and reports the recent progress and knowledge on the specific impact of the urban heat island (UHI) effect on building space conditioning for vulnerable housing where lack of air conditioning and fuel poverty causes indoor overheating, thus increasing vulnerability. Previous studies demonstrated that the increase of the ambient temperature due to UHI and heat waves impacts adversely cooling energy consumption of buildings and raises the peak electricity demand during summer and heat waves. Given the aging and dilapidated housing conditions in low-income communities, mostly of color and minorities, the economic burden of the cooling energy penalty induced by urban overheating is higher. However, literature on overheating is primarily driven by the physical characteristics of the building such as insulation, albedo, and envelope properties, and the Heat Vulnerability Index (HVI) by demographic data such as age, income, education largely remains isolated thus failing to capture the overall understanding of heat vulnerability and the role architects/urban designers can play in mitigation. Through a computational query review of the last fifteen years of publication, we are inquiring, about how UHI impacts building energy consumption in low-income and poor-quality housing and what role city and housing characteristics play in indoor overheating. Our study suggests, that in the US, due to segregated historic planning policies, low-income houses are often located in low tree canopy areas with varying urban typologies, and higher impervious material which substantially increases the air temperature thus determining energy consumption and anthropogenic heat release which contribute to present-day inequitable exposure to intra-urban heat. Both housing characteristics and the location of housing play a crucial role as similar housing will experience different exposure to intra-urban heat if not located in a heat canyon. Through this literature review, it became evident that there is a gap in the research that fails to connect building characteristics and overheating with heat vulnerability. Research involving UHI and heat vulnerability has continued to advance through energy analysis and mitigation studies, but future studies need to redefine the HVI index, especially by incorporating city and housing characteristics, which can help architects/urban designers make informed design decisions.

The Development of the Vulnerability Index (VI) using Principal Component Analysis (PCA)

Climate change elevates the rate of emergence of urban heat islands (UHIs), especially in the tropics. UHIs severely affect human comfort and health. Many studies have suggested that urban areas should be properly mitigated or planned. To cope with this, it is best to present the issue using easy-to-understand approaches to allow for better decision-making, especially during urban planning. Based on the information, adaptations and mitigation strategies can be suggested in order to reduce the impact. Hence, this research was aimed at determining the heat vulnerability index (HVI) of urban areas. This study was conducted in Malaysia in the Klang Valley, a tropicalcity with a complex urban morphology. Remote sensing techniques were employed to extract and derive the spatial index values for exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. A principal component analysis (PCA) was used to estimate the vulnerability as well as to generate the HVI. The most vulnerable districts were found to be Petaling (1.00), Kuala Lumpur (0.99), and Putrajaya (0.95). Kuala Lumpur had a level of exposure that was high (0.56), a level of sensitivity that was high (0.84), and capacity to adapt that was low (0.54), while Petaling had a high exposure value (0.56), very high sensitivity (1), and high adaptive capacity (0.72). A Pearson’s correlation (r) test also revealed that the variables used were highly correlated. From the preliminary findings, the vulnerability of the population to high temperatures in the Klang Valley can be identified to help develop adaptative plans that are targeted as a response to rapid warming in the future in Malaysia.

Optimal allocation of local climate zones based on heat vulnerability perspective

Global climate change presents considerable heating risks to cities, necessitating the assessment of heat vulnerability characteristics in urban areas for the advancement of human settlements and socioeconomic progress. Nevertheless, there has been a lack of extensive research regarding heat vulnerability when considering local climate zones (LCZs). In this study, we utilized data from multiple sources to construct a model for evaluating heat vulnerability along three dimensions: Exposure, Sensitivity, and Adaptability. We analyzed the spatial characteristics of heat vulnerability in the LCZs and employed a linear weighted multi-objective optimization method to reconfigure the LCZs and mitigate the Urban Heat Vulnerability Index (HVI). The findings revealed that (1) The spatial characteristics of exposure and sensitivity were similar, with high values observed in the city center and low values at the periphery. Adaptability exhibited a high–low–high pattern from the center to the edge due to the combined influence of the economy and natural factors. (2) The HVI of the built environment (building LCZ) surpassed that of the natural environment (natural LCZ) within the research area. Specifically, compact high-rise buildings (LCZ1) and compact midrise buildings (LCZ2) accounted for over 90% of the area with extremely high and high HVI values, necessitating immediate optimization efforts. (3) By considering the area and population size of the research area, we achieved an optimal heat vulnerability plan by increasing the areas of LCZ4 and LCZA while reducing the areas of LCZ8 and LCZ1, among others. Therefore, the overall HVI of the study area decreased from 49,034.67 to 41,772.37, representing a reduction of 14.81 %. This study presents an innovative approach to mitigating urban heat vulnerability, providing valuable planning references and scientific guidance to assist cities in addressing high-temperature risks.

Human heat health index (H3I) for holistic assessment of heat hazard and mitigation strategies beyond urban heat islands

Certain urban neighborhoods are more susceptible to heat than others, primarily because of the unequal distribution of imperviousness, building and vegetation morphology, social vulnerability, and anthropogenic heat release. Here, we demonstrate that using the surface urban heat island intensity obtained through remote sensing approaches to evaluate urban heat vulnerability (UHV) can be misleading due to the interannual and seasonal variability of rural land surface temperature (LST). We present the disparity in the heat vulnerability index (HVI) when LST and air temperature are used as hazards and show that the LST-based approach overestimates the HVI during daytime. Thus, we contend that while HVI may be appropriate for comparing the relative UHV of different neighborhoods, it should not be used to assess absolute daytime heat vulnerability. To address this limitation, we propose a new metric: human heat health index (H3I) that can be utilized to (i) assess and compare heat hazard in different neighborhoods and (ii) evaluate the effectiveness of environmental interventions for heat mitigation. H3I was applied to demonstrate the reduction in heat hazard due to 3-D urban structures using street-level modeling in Austin, Texas. Our findings emphasize the need for combining 3-D urban data, modeling, and community feedbacks efforts to assess daytime UHV for prioritizing the implementation of heat mitigation strategies.

The Exploratory Study of Normalized Indicator of Heat Vulnerability Index (HVI) By Using Functional Relationship

Extreme urban heat, a major environmental stressor caused by urbanisation, poses a substantial hazard to human health and well-being. The environmental, demographic, and health-related risk factors for heat stress must be identified as the urban population grows. As a result, this study provides insight into city people’ heat susceptibility and its extent at the district level. This examination was carried out using a multivariate index that included evaluations of the exposure, sensitivity, and coping ability components. Using nine indicators for three different characteristics, this study examined data on the spatial distribution from diverse sources such as satellite imaging processing and quantitative analysis output. This study employed a normalised indicator method that used functional relationships to normalise all of the indicators in the unit or a scale-free method. The index’s value of each parameter is then processed using weightage formula. Kuala Lumpur district has been rated as the most vulnerable to heat, followed by Petaling and Hulu Langat, according to the heat vulnerability index produced. The findings demonstrated a regional pattern of heat vulnerability, with significant differences between individual spatial indexes. While exposure and adaptive capacities have a distinct regional pattern, sensitivity has a more complicated spatial pattern. All factors were statistically significant as markers in the development of the heat vulnerability index, according to this study. In a highly dynamic metropolitan region, these criteria can be used for both urban planning and suggesting special strategies to reduce heat dangers.

Inclusion of child-relevant data in the development and validation of heat vulnerability indices: a commentary

Abstract The health impacts of extreme heat have been repeatedly linked to increased rates of illness and death. Research to date has documented a number of subpopulations at heightened risk during periods of extreme heat. While there is a large body of research linking heat to adverse health outcomes among adults, an emerging literature has also identified infants and young children as a heat-vulnerable population. Thus, there is an opportunity to further improve strategies and tools developed to prevent heat-related illness and death through consideration of this population. In this commentary, we examine the extent to which data that capture the vulnerability of children is incorporated into the development and validation of a specific tool: the heat vulnerability index (HVI), a tool used to map spatial patterns of heat vulnerability within urban areas. Additionally, we make recommendations for how HVIs might be expanded or targeted to capture the impact of heat on younger populations.

Extreme Heat Vulnerability Among Older Adults: A Multilevel Risk Index for Portland, Oregon.

Extreme heat is an environmental health equity concern disproportionately affecting low-income older adults and people of color. Exposure factors, such as living in rental housing and lack of air conditioning, and sensitivity factors, such as chronic disease and social isolation, increase mortality risk among older adults. Older persons face multiple barriers to adaptive heat mitigation, particularly those living in historically temperate climates. This study measures two heat vulnerability indices to identify areas and individuals most vulnerable to extreme heat and discusses opportunities to mitigate vulnerability among older adults. We constructed two heat vulnerability indices for the Portland, OR, metropolitan area: one using area scale proxy measures extracted from existing regional data and another at the individual scale using survey data collected following the 2021 Pacific Northwest Heat Dome event. These indices were analyzed using principal component analysis and Geographic Information Systems. Results indicate that the spatial distribution of areas and individuals vulnerable to extreme heat are quite different. The only area found among the most vulnerable on both indices has the largest agglomeration of age- and income-restricted rental housing in the metropolitan area. Due to spatial variations in heat-related risk at the individual and area scales, measures addressing heat risk should not be spatially uniform. By focusing resources on older adult individuals and areas in particular need of assistance, heat risk management policies can be both highly efficient and cost effective.

Gauging Heat Vulnerability in Southeast Florida: A Multimodal Approach Integrating Physical Exposure, Sensitivity, and Adaptive Capacity

Urbanization and warming climate suggest that health impacts from extreme heat will increase in cities, thus locating vulnerable populations is pivotal. However, heat vulnerability indices (HVI) overwhelmingly interpret one model that may be inaccurate or methodologically flawed without considering how results compare with other HVI. Accordingly, this analysis applied a multimodal approach incorporating underrepresented health and adaptability measures to analyze heat vulnerability more comprehensively and better identify vulnerable populations. The Southeast Florida HVI (SFHVI) blends twenty-four physical exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity indicators using uncommon statistical weights removing overlap, then SFHVI scores were compared statistically and qualitatively with ten models utilizing alternative methods. Urban areas with degraded physical settings, socioeconomic conditions, health, and household resources were particularly vulnerable. Rural and agricultural areas were also vulnerable reflecting socioeconomic conditions, health, and community resources. Three alternative models produced vulnerability scores not statistically different than SFHVI. The other seven differed significantly despite geospatial consistency regarding the most at-risk areas. Since inaccurate HVI can mislead decisionmakers inhibiting mitigation, future studies should increasingly adopt multimodal approaches that enhance analysis comprehensiveness, illuminate methodological strengths and flaws, as well as reinforce conviction about susceptible populations.