Urban Studies Commons^™

Fastest-Warming States And Cities In The Mountain West, 2025, Maisoon Faris, Kahlen Coss, Kevin Yang, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Environment

This fact sheet presents data published by Climate Central on the change in average annual temperatures for the five Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah and 15 Mountain West cities from 1970 to 2025. City-level data are derived from Applied Climate Information System (ACIS) operated by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), state-level data are derived from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI).

Mountain Development In Nepal: Settlements, Infrastructure, And Economic Transformation, Keshav Bhattarai, Ambika P. Adhikari

Himalayan Research Papers Archive

As Nepal urbanizes, expands infrastructure, strengthens local governments, and explores deeper connectivity with India and China, climate change is increasing floods, landslides, heat, and water insecurity. Rapid internal migration, rising disaster risks, youth outmigration, and dependence on remittances are also revealing the limits of conventional urban development, especially in the mountainous region. The central challenge for Nepal is no longer just to accommodate growing towns and cities, but to build settlements that are safe, productive, environmentally resilient, and capable of sustaining long-term prosperity.

This paper argues that Nepal's urban future must be guided by a new development paradigm centered on …

Clearing The Air: Tracking Spatial And Temporal Pm2.5 Variability Along A Biking Transect In Chicago, Beau R. Rass

DePaul Discoveries

Fine particulate matter (PM₂.₅) poses significant risks to human health and disproportionately affects marginalized communities in urban environments (World Health Organization [WHO], 2021; Tessum et al., 2021). Using low-cost mobile sensors, this study explored spatiotemporal PM₂.₅ concentration patterns along a north–south transect of Halsted Street in Chicago. A 2B Technologies Portable Aerosol Monitor (PAM) mounted on a bicycle was used to continuously record PM₂.₅ concentrations with associated GPS coordinates at approximately two-second intervals during 16 sampling events between 08-12-2025 and 10-05-2025. PM₂.₅ concentrations did not differ significantly among the South Side, West Loop, and North Side regions, contrary to the …

The Implementation Of Smart City Initiatives In Addressing Climate Change Challenges For The Transformation Of Jakarta Into A Resilient Global City, Roby Dwiputra, Nurulitha Andini Susetyo, Apriano Hanindito Amanza

CSID Journal of Infrastructure Development

Jakarta, a densely populated delta city and Indonesia's former capital undergoing post-relocation transformation, faces escalating climate change impacts, including land subsidence and tidal flooding. Annual subsidence rates of 5–25 cm in northern areas and recurrent tidal floods, including the December 2025 event, pose significant threats to urban sustainability and economic stability. This study employs a qualitative descriptive–analytic approach using a single-case study of Jakarta. Smart city initiatives are examined as governance instruments for climate resilience, drawing on secondary data from regulatory documents, real-time digital monitoring platforms, and global smart city performance indicators. The analysis applies thematic and comparative techniques supported …

The Role Of Urban Forests In Mitigating Flooding Effects: A Case Study In Savannah, Georgia, Gillian Bush

Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals

Flooding in coastal communities is shaped by the interaction between natural systems and urban development. Chatham County, a low-elevation region in the Savannah, Georgia metropolitan area along the eastern coast of the United States, is prone to coastal storms and frequently affected by flooding. It serves as a useful case study to better understand the factors behind flooding and the areas that are most at risk. This study uses GIS-based analysis to examine the overlap between flood risk, urban forest cover, and impervious surfaces. The results indicate elevated vulnerability along major transportation corridors and barrier islands, where high-risk flood zones …

Data Centers In Mountain West Markets, 2026, Cason Noll, Krish Sharma, Maisoon Faris, Olivia K. Cheche, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Transportation & Infrastructure

This fact sheet reports on the distribution and geographic concentration of data centers across the Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah as of March 6th, 2026. Using data from DataCenterMap, this fact sheet examines the number of data centers in each Mountain West state and further analyzes market-level  distribution, defined as cities within each state where data centers are located. The data are used to compare state totals and to rank Mountain West markets from highest to lowest based on the number of data centers operating in that area.

Localized Air Pollution Impacts From Data Centers In Northern Virginia, Damian Pitt, Ivan Suen, Ellie Plisko

Institute for Sustainable Energy and Environment Publications and Presentations

This report examins the extent of air pollution emissions resulting from the use of backup generators at data centers in Northern Virginia, including both actual current emissions and potential future emissions, and how those emissions totals compare to other sources of air pollution in the Northern Virginia region. It also examines how exposure to data center emissions correlates with demographic characteristics such as race, income, and education.

We while the air pollution emissions from individual data centers is minor, the collective impact from the 100+ such facilities in the Northern Virginia region is significant. Notably, the cumulative emissions exposure in …

Evaluating The Preparedness Of Local Zoning Regulations For Flood Risk Reduction In The Most Affected Local Jurisdictions In Nebraska, Md Asaduzzaman Noor

Community and Regional Planning Program: Theses

Flooding has profound social, economic, and environmental impacts on local communities, and zoning plays a critical role in mitigating these risks. The 2019 Nebraska floods, among the most severe in the state’s history, highlighted the urgent need to strengthen local preparedness and mitigation strategies. This study assesses the extent to which local zoning regulations in Nebraska’s most affected jurisdiction, including rural areas, address flood risk reduction. A systematic review of 117 zoning ordinances from counties, cities, towns, and villages, we applied a structured analytical framework encompassing regulatory and permitting policies, voluntary and incentive-based measures, and nature-based solutions. The results show …

Data-Driven Evaluation Of Sustainable Waste-To-Energy Pathways For Intelligent Urban Systems, Izech Brian O. Edwin, King Harold A. Recto

Electronics, Computer, and Communications Engineering Faculty Publications

The handling of municipal solid waste (MSW) in swiftly urbanizing Philippine cities poses intricate energy and governance challenges. In Baguio City, reliance on landfills has reached critical levels due to diminishing capacity, rising transport costs, and opposition to trash transfers by nearby LGUs. Although shaped by unique topographical and governance constraints, Baguio’s situation reflects issues faced by other rapidly growing Philippine cities; therefore, analyzing it offers insights for national MSW decision-making. This study applies a triple bottom line (TBL) framework to assess three management scenarios: (1) Status Quo, where all MSW is landfilled with no energy recovery; (2) Landfill with …

Urban Heat Islands In Mountain West Cities, 2024, Mia Tschan, Krish Sharma, Olivia K. Cheche, William E. Brown Jr.

Environment

This fact sheet presents data on Urban Heat Islands (UHIs) in six cities across five Mountain West states: Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. The data are derived from the 2024 Climate Central report, “Urban Heat Hot Spots in 65 Cities,” which includes data on how UHIs boost temperatures in 65 major cities across the United States. This fact sheet focuses on UHIs in six Mountain West cities: Albuquerque, NM; Denver, CO; Las Vegas, NV; Phoenix, AZ; Salt Lake City, UT; and Tucson, AZ.

Addressing Climate Vulnerability And Policy Gaps Of Heat Waves In Upper Egypt: The Case Study Of Al-A’Qaab Village In Aswan, Eman Abdullah

Theses and Dissertations

Heatwaves are currently one of the most dangerous climate hazards globally. Egypt is experiencing an increase in the intensity and frequency of heatwaves, which affects health, economy, infrastructure, and the ecological system. Upper Egypt is one of the most vulnerable regions in Egypt to rising temperatures, particularly in Aswan Governorate. The risks of heat waves are increasing vulnerability among vulnerable groups, such as women and low-income individuals. However, there is a clear gap in protection policies against heat waves, along with a lack of studies examining the effects of heat waves on individuals in Aswan. Accordingly, this thesis aims to …

Identifying Latent Workforce Capacities For Extreme Heat Resilience: An Artificial Intelligence Assisted Approach, Jieshu Wang, Patricia Solís

Technology & Society Faculty Publications

Extreme heat events, intensified by climate change, pose critical challenges to public health, infrastructure, and workforce resilience. Despite the urgency of these challenges, there is no systematic framework to identify workforce adaptive capacities that can help build regional heat resilience. This study introduces a novel large language model assisted approach, using task-level data from the O*NET dataset, to identify workforce capacities that enhance heat resilience. By defining heat-solution tasks as activities mitigating heat impacts, protecting public health, or improving infrastructure, we classify heat-solution occupations and dual-impact occupations, which are both vulnerable to heat and critical to heat resilience. A case …

Strategic Development Plan – San Pedro Dr. Main Street Corridor, Adrian N. Carver

Student Publications

The San Pedro MainStreet Strategic Development Plan is a place-based, community-driven roadmap for revitalizing the San Pedro Drive corridor in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The corridor sits at the intersection of historical significance and present-day opportunity—bridging the old and new alignments of Route 66 while serving a diverse, working-class population. Drawing from urban planning theory, spatial analysis, and community input, this plan identifies challenges and assets related to land use, infrastructure, business development, housing, and cultural identity. Special attention is given to past and ongoing patterns of racialized disinvestment and displacement, with strategies proposed to ensure equitable reinvestment and climate resilience. …

The Politics Of Being Heard: Communication And Power Struggles In Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, Caroline Trejo

Master's Projects and Capstones

The environmental and public health challenges in Bayview-Hunters Point have catalyzed widespread community activism, as residents and advocates respond to the ongoing fallout from radiological contamination at the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard. Communication plays a vital role in bridging the gap between affected communities and government entities throughout the cleanup process. This research asks: how have the communication strategies of advocacy groups influenced government actions and policies during the Bayview-Hunters Point Shipyard cleanup? To explore this question, I conducted semi-structured interviews with three community advocates, two former members of a non-partisan civil jury, one independent researcher, and one government official. …

Contracting For Public Delivery: The Dynamics Of Relational Governance And Power Asymmetry In Public Infrastructure Project, Fazlur Rahman Hassan, Dzulfian Syaafrian, Dinda Ayu Maharani

BISNIS & BIROKRASI: Jurnal Ilmu Administrasi dan Organisasi

Government institutions often face a dilemma in providing goods and services: whether to ‘outsource’ or manage them ‘in-house’. Large-scale public services typically require complex contracts to ensure successful project completion. This study examines the dynamics of relational governance and power shifts that lead to contract failure using a mixed-method approach applied to a complex public service project in Jakarta, one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world. The findings indicate that a contractual win-win outcome can be achieved with strong governance rules, particularly relational governance. However, relational governance can weaken without robust contractual governance, particularly during conflicts or disputes. …

Consistent Vmt Mapping And Modeling In California: How Can We Better Assess The Vmt Impacts Of State And Local Transportation Projects?, Serena E. Alexander, Shams Tanvir, Syed Tanvir Ahmed, Annie Jones

Mineta Transportation Institute

Despite California’s ambitious target to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045, the state is not reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from personal vehicle travel, and per capita Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) and GHG emissions continue to increase. One central challenge of climate planning facing California is the lack of consistent methods to measure the VMT impacts of transportation projects. Using both qualitative and quantitative data, this research answers the question: “What are the advantages and limitations of existing VMT calculators to determine the climate impacts of transportation projects to help meet California’s climate goals?” Research methods included: (1) a quantitative analysis …

Wasted Space: Using Parking Lots & Vacant Land To Improve Neighborhood Completeness, Ryan Martyn

Hatfield Graduate Journal of Public Affairs

This study conducts a spatial analysis of Portland, Oregon, focusing on leveraging underutilized areas like parking lots and vacant land—termed "wasted space"—to improve the city's completeness. Central to this investigation is the concept of a "complete neighborhood," characterized by access to daily necessities within convenient active transportation trip. This comprehensive idea encompasses walkability, equitable access to services, and sustainability.

This paper aims to redefine the concept of a complete neighborhood with precision and delve into its implications. The research looks at five regional, town, and neighborhood centers as defined by the city of Portland. These centers act as pivotal hubs …

Assessing The Effects Of Climate Change On Vulnerability To Poverty: The Case Of Heat Waves And Construction Workers In Egypt, Rachad Bani Samari

Theses and Dissertations

“Doomsday, humanity’s extinction, the end of days”. Apocalyptic adjectives abound to highlight the danger looming over the planet, as the earth is warming up due to global warming and climate change. The picture painted over the canvas has consistently projected a gloomy image of low-income countries and of the poor. As the earth is gently boiling with heat, low-income groups in the Global South are predicted to be most affected. However, most of such warnings and studies focused on sectors directly dependent on suitable weather conditions such as agriculture, and sea tourism. While the climatic phenomena of heat waves may …

Biodiversity Loss & Urban Heat: A Nature- Based Wildlife Policy For The Las Vegas Metro, Zachary Billot

Student Research

As the population of the Las Vegas Metro continues to grow, new developments expand on the periphery. As Las Vegas continues to increase in size and develop further into wildlife habitat, not only are native animals and plants endangered, but residents are at risk of increasingly dangerous urban heat given the increase in impervious cover that makes Las Vegas the 2nd fastest warming metro in the U.S. This policy brief examines current policy and practice in place to highlight the need for positive human-wildlife interaction that will address the growing threat of biodiversity loss and heat vulnerability. This policy brief …

Federal Government: Assessing The Impact Of Lithium Mineral Resource Extraction On Indigenous Communities In The State Of Nevada, Zachary Johnigan

Student Research

The research topic for this project is lithium mining which holds significance to indigenous populations in the State of Nevada and mineral extraction companies seeking to mine there. My research objective is to gain a deeper understanding of the direct impacts that lithium mining has had on indigenous communities, throughout history and today. Overall, the purpose of the project is to expound upon the implications of lithium mining on indigenous communities in response to the recent higher demand for the critical mineral in the United States. If it can be understood exactly how lithium mining has affected Nevada’s indigenous population, …

Addressing The Need For Both Affordable And Sustainable Housing: A Policy Analysis On Avoiding Environmental Gentrification, Erin Zipman

Binghamton University Undergraduate Journal

This article focuses on the threat of environmental gentrification in Binghamton and the surrounding municipalities. Given certain risks, including an increasing temporary student renter population, increasing rent prices, high population of renters overall and the need for updates to the housing stock, this area of Broome County is at high risk for environmental gentrification if clean energy upgrades to the housing stock are aggressively pursued. Since clean energy upgrades such as weatherization and clean technology installation will create safer housing and reduce residential greenhouse gas emissions, it is desirable to pursue them. Thus, this article will analyze four policy alternatives …

Contemporary Voter Suppression: Impact On The 2020 General Election, Tiffany Henley, Samuel Brown, Norou Diawara, Md Iqbal Hossain, Gregory Rivera

Ralph Bunche Journal of Public Affairs

none

Political Values, Democracy, And The 2020 U.S. Presidential Election, George K. Kieh

Ralph Bunche Journal of Public Affairs

No abstract provided.

Assessing The Limits Of Free Speech And Election Misinformation: A Case Study Of 2020, Scott Hofer

Ralph Bunche Journal of Public Affairs

none

Three Essays On Environmental Risk And Policy, Samuel Owens

Theses and Dissertations--Public Policy and Administration

This dissertation comprises three essays that investigate different facets of environmental hazards and their implications for policy and governance. While each essay examines a different topic area, they are all linked by examining how entities respond to incentives at the intersection of environmental risk and public policy. Each chapter informs a distinct literature within environmental policy and utilizes different methodologies to examine largely unexplored research questions.

In the first essay, I examine how individuals respond to the low-visibility, long-term environmental risk presented by radon. I employ radon zone data from the Kentucky Geological Survey and home information from Zillow to …

Police Flight Oversight: Lapd Drone As First Responder Implementation, Nathaniel Worley

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis explores the feasibility of implementing a Drone as First Responder (DFR) program within the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), analyzing the operational, social, and financial implications compared to traditional police helicopter usage. The thesis investigates helicopter flight patterns, demographic correlations, and the potential for drones to provide a less invasive and more cost-effective aerial support system. Key findings include the use of incorrect identifying hex codes by LAPD helicopters, suggesting potential transparency issues in aerial operations. The thesis recommends DFR due to substantial cost savings and enhanced surveillance transparency and asserts that a DFR program can mitigate negative …

An Integrated Framework For Establishing Long-Term Transportation Management Strategies Promoting Sustainable Urban Growth, M Imtiaz Rahman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Urban land areas are experiencing a more rapid expansion compared to their population growth on a global scale. This phenomenon, known as urban sprawl, is characterized by low-density development in the outskirts of cities. This unplanned urban growth leads to changing urban transportation patterns, posing a threat to sustainable development. In response, government agencies implement growth management practices, with transportation management strategies playing a crucial role in achieving sustainable urban growth. However, developing effective growth management strategies is difficult because of several challenges, including limited understanding of the key influencing factors, the complex interdependencies among these factors, and the uncertainties …

Reducing Food Scarcity: The Benefits Of Urban Farming, S.A. Claudell, Emilio Mejia

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Urban farming can enhance the lives of communities and help reduce food scarcity. This paper presents a conceptual prototype of an efficient urban farming community that can be scaled for a single apartment building or an entire community across all global geoeconomics regions, including densely populated cities and rural, developing towns and communities. When deployed in coordination with smart crop choices, local farm support, and efficient transportation then the result isn’t just sustainability, but also increasing fresh produce accessibility, optimizing nutritional value, eliminating the use of ‘forever chemicals’, reducing transportation costs, and fostering global environmental benefits.

Imagine Doris, who is …

Urban And Community Tree Cover In The Mountain West, Zachary Billot, Zachary Walusek, Annie Vong, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Environment

This fact sheet examines data on tree cover and impervious cover in urban land for the United States and for the five states in the Mountain West: Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. The original report includes data for each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Public-Ish, Aliah Werth

Masters Theses

Climate change affects public space, and architecture must establish tenets that prioritize pedestrians in this difficult era. Greywater re-use can be a mechanism for creating shade, and in turn, public space.

As heat waves grow more intense, the vast swaths of asphalt that connect commercial zones pose greater risks to public health and to urban vitality. This thesis records the typical material, spatial, and lived conditions of strip malls in urban heat islands, and demands more from infrastructure in public-ish space.

Heat violence weaves through Los Angeles’ built form. Parking space minimums, required setbacks, and height restrictions pull buildings away …