Smart resilience hub
where day-to-day climate resilience meets accessible transit
Backstory:
The City of Austin is no stranger to climate impacts. In February of 2020, Texas was hit by Winter Storm Uri, which had devastating effects on Travis County and the rest of the state. Not only is Austin's community and infrastructure vulnerable to severe winter storm weather, but additionally, severe heat and air pollution, flash flooding, drought, high winds, and tornadoes.
It is well documented that the adverse effects of climate change at the global and local level have inequitable impacts, with people of color and low-income individuals bearing the heaviest and most dangerous burden of these changes. With this in mind, the City of Austin has been developing a Resilience Office and Resilience Hub Network, which this Smart Resilience Project seeks to model.
City of austin resilience hub network
The City of Austin is currently designing and will be building 6 pilot resilience hubs in the 6 above focus areas in Austin's Eastern Crescent (known to be the area more socially vulnerable to climate impacts). These resilience hubs will serve multipurpose uses, as they'll be available both in the day-to-day, as well as operate in emergency situations.
Graphics from City of Austin's Resilience Hub Network Website
Context: Georgian Acres
Georgian Acres, a neighborhood in North-East Austin that's been designated as the Smart Mobility Hub, faces certain challenges regarding heat and air pollution due to its proximity from the highway. In a feedback event facilitated by the CoA Sustainability Office, it was mentioned by community members that "all of Georgian Acres is vulnerable [to climate] - many people who don't speak English, low income, [speak] many languages."
You can learn more about the Georgian Acres Smart Hub, a National Science Foundation funded project in collaboration between UT and the nonprofit Jail to Jobs, here.
