HeatSMART’s First Community Engagement Activity in North Kansas City

The HeatSMART project conducted its first community engagement activity in North Kansas City, Missouri, during the Northtown 2040 Planning and Design Charrette.

The HeatSMART team participated in the community event to introduce the project, engage with residents and local stakeholders, and gather input on local heat challenges and potential heat-mitigation strategies. Through interactive mapping and conversations, participants identified areas where they experience the most extreme heat and shared where they would like to see solutions such as additional shade, trees, cooling infrastructure, and other heat-resilience interventions.

Led by Dr. Heng Cai, HeatSMART is a three-year NASA-supported project focused on using Earth observations, geospatial analytics, and community engagement to better understand extreme heat and co-develop practical solutions for traditionally industrial communities.

This first community activity marks an important milestone for the project’s community-engaged research and lays the foundation for continued collaboration with North Kansas City residents, local agencies, and community partners.

Learn more about HeatSMART project on the NKC website: https://www.nkc.org/government/departments/community-development/current-projects/heatsmart

HeatSMART project link: https://www.cityanalytics.info/heatsmart