Our project for altREU: Design, Program, and Use Computers to Benefit Society

SunMaps is an interactive geospatial application designed to assist urban planners, city officials, and community organizations in identifying the most effective cooling infrastructure for various locations in Phoenix, Arizona.

The tool provides a Google Maps–style web interface with clickable location markers, each backed by detailed environmental and infrastructural data. By synthesizing climate metrics and urban characteristics, SunMaps helps stakeholders make data-driven decisions for combating extreme heat in urban areas.

Features

• Interactive Mapping Interface – Navigate and zoom across Phoenix to explore potential cooling infrastructure sites.

• Data-Driven Insights – Location markers display:

• UV index levels

• Heat-related mortality data

• Existing infrastructure (parks, shaded areas, cooling centers)

• Walkability scores and pedestrian traffic estimates

• Targeted Infrastructure Recommendations – For each location, SunMaps suggests optimal cooling strategies such as:

• Man-made shade structures

• Tree planting or park creation

• Misting stations

• Industrial or community cooling fans

• Custom Decision Model – Implements a decision-tree algorithm trained on local climate data and urban conditions to rank and prioritize cooling interventions.

Tech Stack

Frontend: Python (Folium), HTML/CSS

Data Processing: Pandas, NumPy, GeoPandas

Visualization: Folium interactive maps with climate overlays

Data Sources: Local Climate Zones (LCZ) data, Mean Radiant Temperature (MRT), zoning datasets, and municipal infrastructure records

Link to published research paper:

https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/altreu_projects/17/