Advance the knowledge of green infrastructure and low-impact development design process and social-ecological outcomes in the hot and arid environment to be sustainable and resilient
Many cities in the Southwestern US have recognized the significance of shade for healthy urban environments and developed tree and shade master plans with city-wide canopy goals to reduce heat vulnerability. The City of Tempe’s Urban Forestry Plan envisions 25 percent tree canopy cover by 2040 with emphasis on “shading sidewalks and paths, cooling people and reducing radiated heat from hard surfaces”.