Thrust A
Assess baseline conditions for sustainability
This research thrust hinges on enhancing our fundamental understanding and characterization of the sustainability of urban water systems by comparing trends in the past with alternative future land and water use, population, and climate scenarios.
The projects under this thrust are organized by three themes:
Theme A1 projects characterize water supply-demand patterns under future socioeconomic scenarios. Land and water use, land cover and socioeconomic scenarios are used to assess two-way interactions and feedback between urban form and land-atmospheric processes.
- Project A1-1: Quantifying vulnerability, resiliency and adaptability of US urban water supply
- Project A1-2: Effects of changes in climate, demographics and urban form on water supply-demand equilibrium
Theme A2 projects asses the impacts of urban water systems on urban heat islands and the regional climate and the ensuing co-benefits for human health.
- Project A2-1: Land-atmosphere-hydrosphere interactions in urban terrain
- Project A2-2: Projecting future environmental change in urban areas
- Project A2-3: Assessing the thermal comfort implications of water-supported infrastructure
- Project A2-4: Assessment and design of innovative building systems and urban infrastructure
Theme A3 projects examine effects of changes in climate, populations, demographics and policy on hydrologic and ecological processes over the observed past and future assessment periods.
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