This educational session highlights a collaborative effort in Chicago to address indoor heat exposure from both technical and societal perspectives. It begins with an assessment of extreme heat vulnerability using public health data and inputs from community, municipal, and academic experts. Findings from a summer 2023 study on indoor extreme in residential buildings will be presented. The session concludes by exploring behavioral insights to reframe extreme heat as a chronic public health challenge. 

Learning Objectives: 

• Understand the role of the Defusing Disasters Working Group in addressing extreme weather in Chicago.
• Learn about the development of a heat vulnerability index informed by community and expert input.
• Review indoor heat exposure findings from single-family and 2–4 unit homes.
• Examine behavioral dimensions of heat resilience and system-wide adaptation strategies. 

Speakers: 

• Daniel E Horton, Associate Professor Department of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences, Northwestern University
• Rachel Scheu, Principal Director, Research & Innovation, Elevate
• Ruth Schmidt, Associate Professor, Institute of Design, Illinois Tech
• Mohammad Heidarinejad, Associate Professor, Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, Illinois Tech