Chicago can feel up to 8 degrees hotter than suburbs and rural areas because there are more buildings and asphalt and fewer plants to aid the natural process of keeping an area cool. Parts of the city with the least greenspace, tree canopy and more industry can be even hotter than the city average temperature. 

In the Loop explores  efforts by residents and officials to identify the city’s hotter areas and help residents adapt to the extreme heat.

GUESTS: Max Berkelhammer, professor, earth and environmental sciences UIC 

Lindy Wordlaw, Assistant Commissioner, Department of Environment

Nedra Sims-Fears, executive director, Greater Chatham Initiative

For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.