How we adapt
From the time of Arizona’s earliest indigenous settlers 10,000 years ago through the present, life in the desert has demanded adaptation. From water scarcity to urban heat islands, ASU is working to solve the complex sustainability issues facing Arizona and the Southwest while also creating new economic opportunities.
We’re working with residents and communities, leaders and businesses to create solutions for a resilient future and make the state a global leader in sustainability. ASU is doing its part through research that directly impacts Arizona, training future sustainability experts and building networks for leadership and action around the state and the region.
An epic endeavor in clean energy
ASU’s work to fight greenhouse gas emissions is positioning Arizona at the forefront of clean energy innovation. Through the ASU-led Electrified Processes for Industry without Carbon (EPIXC) initiative, which was awarded up to $70 million by the U.S. Department of Energy, the university aims to dramatically reduce emissions from industrial heating. ASU is working with over 100 companies and universities to develop real-world solutions and train the workforce of the future, helping Arizona to be a leader in responding to climate change.
The Global Futures Laboratory: A hospital for the planet
The Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory is ASU’s flagship initiative to confront the complex sustainability challenges facing our planet. It brings together experts from across ASU to create a more sustainable future for Arizona—and the planet—through research, education and action.
Education is another cornerstone of GFL’s mission, and its scholars are tackling the most critical resiliency challenges of our time, like climate change, resource scarcity and social inequality. We’re not just studying these problems; we’re actively developing innovative solutions, from carbon-negative technologies to sustainable urban planning.
An economic and sustainability engine for the Southwest
Arizona champions a dynamic business climate, and ASU is developing sustainable solutions that will also help to boost economic prosperity. Through the Southwest Sustainability Innovation Engine, we’re building a network of utility companies, academic institutions, government partners and philanthropists working together to promote sustainable economic growth. Spanning Utah, Nevada and Arizona, this bold initiative aims for a thriving future for our region powered by clean energy and ensuring water conservation and security. SWSIE also promotes high-wage green job growth, technology entrepreneurship and investment to create sustainable prosperity for communities across the Southwest.
Quenching our thirst for water solutions
Water scarcity has always been a defining feature of life in Arizona, and today, the need for urgent action to shore up the Colorado River Basin routinely makes national and even international headlines. ASU is proactively taking on this challenge by developing the solutions we need to carry us through the 21st century and beyond. We’re building a large network of local and regional partners including state, local and tribal governments, utilities and the private sector, and community-based non-profit and civic organizations—and by working together, we are helping to ensure a future for Arizona that is not merely livable, but abundant and thriving.
Water technology innovation
ASU’s Global Center for Water Technology, part of the Arizona Water Innovation Initiative, is leading the development, commercialization and deployment of technologies to increase and conserve the water supply and enable effective treatment and reuse of water. The center identifies high-potential technologies to help Arizona confront its water challenges and carries out research, discovery and demonstration of the most promising approaches — from nano-materials for water treatment to smart water sensors, microgrids for water systems, groundwater replenishment projects, household water solutions and desalinization.
Inclusive community engagement
ASU empowers citizens of Arizona from all walks of life to create solutions and make positive decisions around water in their communities, businesses and households. Through Impact Water, the Arizona Water Innovation Initiative promotes learning, community awareness and involvement. Arizona Water for All, another program of the initiative, engages communities facing water insecurity to identify their needs, ensures that water research incorporates their voices, and deploys practical technologies to water scarcity.
Forecasting and decision-making
ASU brings technology and know-how to anticipate future water scarcity challenges. The Advanced Water Observatory and Decision Support System uses a network of sensors and sophisticated computer models to monitor water resources, providing real-time data to enhance forecasting. ASU’s Decision Center for a Desert City develops tools for decision-makers to simulate different scenarios to help them make choices that promote a sustainable water future. And through the Arizona Water Blueprint, an interactive data platform that visualizes Arizona’s complex water systems and infrastructure, we empower leaders and everyday Arizonans to better understand water resources and make more informed decisions.
Developing water policy for Arizona’s future
Drawing on its trusted reputation among Arizona’s leaders, ASU provides local policymakers with insights and strategic advice to address water challenges. The Kyl Center for Water Policy at ASU’s Morrison Institute for Public Policy champions collaborative solutions to these challenges, giving the many users of Arizona’s water resources the necessary tools and knowledge to make good water management decisions.
Adapting to extreme heat
It’s a dry heat—and it’s getting hotter. While hot, dry weather has always been the most notable aspect of Arizona’s climate, it’s getting more and more intense. With record-breaking heat year after year, new heat extremes are the new normal.
ASU’s expertise in all things heat-related has made the university a critical source of expertise for local and national efforts to make communities facing intense heat safer and more resilient. With our expertise across many fields, collaborative spirit and commitment to finding solutions, we are finding ways to adapt to extreme heat and helping to ensure a livable future in Arizona and beyond.
Tackling extreme heat in Arizona communities
In Arizona, extreme heat is not just an inconvenience, but a serious threat that takes hundreds of lives every year. ASU is taking action to address this critical issue. Our experts are working with state and community leaders to develop research-based strategies to adapt to extreme heat and protect Arizona residents to ensure our state thrives even as our climate becomes hotter.
Arizona’s go-to resource for heat policy
ASU played a critical role in helping to develop the governor’s Extreme Heat Preparedness Plan, a comprehensive approach to prepare for and mitigate the effects of extreme heat across the state. Experts at ASU’s Knowledge Exchange for Resilience gathered recommendations and perspectives from members of the public, businesses, and academic and nonprofit sectors to ensure the state’s plan is not only effective, but also representative of the interests of all Arizonans.
ASU also co-leads the Arizona Heat Resilience Workgroup, which brings together organizations from around Arizona to monitor heat forecasts and collaboratively design solutions for heat response and relief. Members include heat policy leaders from the City of Phoenix and Maricopa County, the National Weather Service, the City of Phoenix and the University of Arizona.
Protecting our most vulnerable from heat risk
ASU partners with the City of Phoenix and Maricopa County in support of the Heat Relief Network, which provides cooling centers, hydration stations, and other aid during extreme heat events. The network includes over 200 locations across Maricopa County, such as libraries, community centers and faith-based organizations that provide air-conditioned spaces and water for those in need. ASU helps to coordinate the network, provide training for staff and conduct research on the effectiveness of the program.
Preparing Arizonans for heat emergencies
Through HeatReady, ASU works with a network of experts across heat and health disciplines and draws upon local knowledge and experiences to develop community-specific plans for heat resilience. HeatReady’s initiatives target not only cities, neighborhoods and schools—now reaching more than 35 schools across the valley.
Finding hotspots to protect at-risk communities
ASU researchers are tracking heat risk across neighborhoods and communities in Phoenix and other cities to help identify places and populations with greater exposure to dangerous levels of heat—often resulting from a lack of green space, poor housing quality and limited access to air conditioning. Our researchers work with residents to collect data and analyze satellite imaging and census data, helping to create solutions to protect the health and wellbeing of people who are most at risk.
Leading the nation in heat research and solutions
At ASU, we apply the lessons we’re learning in one of America’s hottest climates to develop solutions for the whole country. The U.S. government, along with scientific leaders nationwide, are turning to ASU for our nationally renowned research and expertise in extreme heat.
Taking on extreme heat across America
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Department of Commerce selected ASU, along with the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of Arizona, for a $2.25 million grant to establish the Center for Heat Resilient Communities—a resource for supporting communities around the country in developing strategies to mitigate and manage the negative impacts of extreme heat, especially among disadvantaged communities that are most vulnerable. The center also supports community engagement and sharing of knowledge and resources across municipalities to increase heat safety and resilience.
ASU also partnered with the Federation of American Scientists to convene the Extreme Heat Policy Innovation Summit in 2024, bringing together more than 200 stakeholders for the first time to discuss policy solutions for heat resilience at all levels of government: local, state, tribal, territorial and federal. ASU is continuing to support this community of researchers, policymakers and leaders in working toward better heat preparedness and mitigation across the U.S.
Cool research for beating the heat
ASU scientists are designing new technologies to respond to extreme heat—like the Cool Pavement Pilot Program, a new asphalt sealant that reflects sunlight to reduce surface temperatures by 10°F or more. We’re also working to understand the effects of heat through novel tools that accurately measure the impact of extreme heat on the human body—even including a high-tech mannequin that perspires and uses advanced sensors to determine the biological impact of high-temperatures. And at the Urban Climate Research Center, experts in geography, engineering and social sciences are working to understand the effects of urban heat islands and design strategies to reduce their impact.