Underground Climate Change Is Weakening Buildings in Slow Motion

Photo caption: An aerial view of Chicago shows business center skyscrapers and busy streets near Lake Michigan. Photo credit: Prasit photo / Getty Images. Article by Allison Parshall. Scientific American – July 11, 2023.

The streets, sidewalks and roofs of cities all absorb heat during the day, making some urban areas up to six degrees Fahrenheit hotter than rural ones during the day—and 22 degrees F hotter at night. These “urban heat islands” can also develop underground as the city heat diffuses downward, beneath the surface. And basements, subway tunnels and other subterranean infrastructure also constantly bleed heat into the surrounding earth, creating hotspots. […]

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