OUR VISION
Heat-resilient communities that protect people’s health and well-being where they live, learn, work, and play
OUR APPROACH
We inform and lead new governance, policy, and program strategies to protect communities and populations vulnerable to heat.
NEWS!
Luskin Center for Innovation’s heat team, in partnership with American Forests, created a national map to help federal, state, and local decision-makers identify existing “shade deserts” and prioritize investments to mitigate the impacts of heat. This is the first time communities have an accessible way to see how much shade they have, where it is, and whether it comes from buildings or vegetation.
EXPERTS
V. Kelly Turner, Associate Director
Edith B. de Guzman, Policy Specialist
Trace Lane, Senior Project Manager & Researcher
Lana Zimmerman, Project Manager
Zach Wampler, Project Coordinator
Gregory Pierce, Research and Co-Executive Director; Director, Human Right to Water Solutions Lab
Lauren Dunlap, Project Manager
Jean Claude Iradukunda, Data Scientist & Associate Project Manager
MEDIA INQUIRIES
Contact Dr. V. Kelly Turner
NEWS
L.A.’s fiercest rivals — USC and UCLA — team up to cool the region ahead of 2028
ShadeLA aims to expand urban tree canopy and shade infrastructure, building heat resilience for Angelenos.
Beyond shade: UCLA researchers improve radiant cooling to make outdoor temperatures feel cooler
The approach uses low-cost, scalable, transparent and infrared-reflective surfaces and hydronic panels.
