Building Vulnerability in a Changing Climate: Measuring Heat Waves' Impacts on Living Conditions and Health Outcomes for Older Adults

Location: Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies

12:15 pm, Joint Center for Housing Studies.

While air conditioning can help protect vulnerable populations, such as older adults, from the demonstrated impacts of extended heat waves, little research has been done on the indoor environmental quality during extreme heat events and the resulting impacts on health.  In this talk, Williams will report on new research on this question, carried out during a 2015 heat event with the help of 51 low-income senior residents of public housing units in Cambridge, which found notable differences in indoor temperatures, air quality and health outcomes for 24 residents served by central air conditioning as compared to the outcomes for 27 residents living in units without central air conditioning.

This event is part of our Research Seminar Series, which are held on Fridays at lunchtime, during the academic year, and are live-streamed on Twitter.

Watch the video here

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