As our leaders consider the Smith Entertainment Group’s (SEG) plan to revitalize downtown Salt Lake City, let’s use the $900 million in tax dollars to benefit everyone who lives in and enjoys our downtown.
Before we discuss solutions, let’s review two important facts. First, a study shared in this publication, found that temperatures in urban Salt Lake City can be nine degrees hotter than suburban areas. This heat pattern is called the “urban heat effect.” It occurs in areas that have few green areas and vast coverage of cement/asphalt. A prime example is downtown Salt Lake City. The city’s temperature has increased 2 times faster than the national average.
What is the second important fact?
There are several things the SEG project can do to combat this heat effect. To start, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall and the SEG team can research how added greenspaces will reduce urban heat. MIT published an article that details how urban heat can be reduced up to four degrees with green spaces. As part of a greenspace plan, we can plant drought-resistant grasses and plants. In fact, a recent BYU study shows a hybrid Bermuda grass reduces water usage by 50-60%.
Another way to address the urban heat effect is to consider the building materials used. The World Economic Forum shares how the many advances in building materials can reduce pollution, urban heat, and energy consumption. We must insist that our leaders assess how these advancements can benefit the SEG project.
Let us use this revitalization project as an opportunity to tackle the heat in downtown Salt Lake City. Let us showcase our city as a global leader to the millions of tourists that visit each year, and especially for the 2034 Olympics.
Andrew Watt, Sandy