The Phoenix area is one of the hottest urban environments and getting hotter. Maricopa County officials are teaming with Fulton Schools engineers to devise strategies for slowing the trend toward higher temperatures. Matthew Fraser, a professor of environmental and sustainable engineering, says one focus of the effort will be on using building and pavement materials that would lessen the impacts of heat. Extreme heat also causes unhealthy air quality. Fraser and his colleagues will also work on developing new technologies to address that problem.

See Also: Funding the future: Maricopa County, ASU combat urban heat