UNC-Chapel Hill Climate Change Resources // Carolina Digital Repository

Works (784)

641. Climate Change Adaptation Planning in Edenton, NC

Title Tesim:: Climate Change Adaptation Planning in Edenton, NC
Creator:: Hurley, Christina
Date Created:: April 2, 2018
Date of publication:: April 10, 2015
Abstract Tesim:: The effects of global climate change are impacting the livability of coastal communities (Beatley, 2014; Berry and BenDor, 2015). As the effects of climate change become more pronounced, it is important for communities around the globe take action to adapt to these effects in order to reduce their risk, particularly for natural hazards that will be exacerbated by climate change. Adaptability, as defined by Berke (2014), is “the capability of a human community to anticipate change and successfully manage coupled human-ecological systems to change” (p. 172). The initial focus of climate adaptation was on large cities, as many researchers believed that they disproportionately shouldered climate risk due to high population density and concentrations of economic development (Rosenzweig, Solecki, Hammer & Mehrotra, 2011). Large cities, such as Miami, New York, and Stockholm have been at the forefront of climate change action, due in part to high levels of adaptive capacity, including the commitment of resources to confront these challenges (Rosenzweig et al, 2011). Conversely, small towns and rural areas, especially low-lying coastal communities, are highly vulnerable due to their limited adaptive capacity (Hamin, Gurran & Emlinger, 2014). Therefore, it is important to examine the ability of these smaller communities to implement adaptation measures in light of climate projections specific to their location, and to develop feasible policy solutions for adaptation. With that challenge in mind, this project’s aim is to develop a set of climate change adaptation policy recommendations for the Town of Edenton, North Carolina, a small coastal community on the inner banks of northeastern North Carolina. Recommendations stem from three sources: * Literature describing barriers to climate change adaptation and best practices for implementing adaptation policies in small coastal towns; * A qualitative evaluation of the town’s current adaptation and hazard mitigation planning efforts through a plan review and meeting with Town staff, and; * The analysis of downscaled climate data and modeling programs to project climate change effects in Edenton. These data sources will be used to answer three central questions: 1) what are common barriers to climate adaptation experienced by small coastal communities similar to Edenton? 2) What is the current state of adaptation planning in Edenton, and is it linked to ongoing hazard mitigation planning efforts? and 3) what climate outcomes are expected for Edenton, given the most current climate data available? These questions guided this study, and answers were used to develop scientifically- and locally-informed policy recommendations.
Resource type:: Masters Paper
Academic Concentration:: Land Use and Environmental Planning
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Department of City and Regional Planning
Degree:: Master of City and Regional Planning
Degree Granting Institution:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Deposit Record:: 7a492ca3-90df-407c-88ef-d15530c9a9b6
Type:: http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/2s00-pz74
Graduation Year:: 2015
Language Label:: English
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:
Person:: Hurley, Christina
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright

642. Integrating Alternative Fuels in the North Carolina Transportation Sector

Title Tesim:: Integrating Alternative Fuels in the North Carolina Transportation Sector
Creator:: Patane Curtis, Marie
Date Created:: April 2, 2018
Date of publication:: November 18, 2014
Abstract Tesim:: Displacing diesel and gasoline with electricity and compressed natural gas is a strategy to increase energy security, reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and improve air quality in North Carolina. The energy capacity of renewable electricity (solar, offshore wind, hydropower, and biomass) and renewable natural gas (methane collected from landfills, wastewater treatment plants, and concentrated animal farm operations) in North Carolina is estimated at the county level. Solar dominates at 90 percent of the total renewable energy potential with viable resources located primarily in central North Carolina. The Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuel Life- Cycle Environmental and Economic Transportation (AFLEET) tool is used to calculate the petroleum use, GHG emissions, and air pollutants up to 2030. Despite improvements in fuel efficiency and emission control technologies, light-duty plug-in hybrid electric vehicles outperform their gasoline and diesel counterparts in air pollutant reductions. However, recommendations for heavy-duty fuels are dependent on goals and priorities.
Resource type:: Masters Paper
Academic Concentration:: Economic Development
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Department of City and Regional Planning
Degree:: Master of City and Regional Planning
Degree Granting Institution:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Deposit Record:: a342e20b-6c62-4cde-8873-4f6988b00815
Type:: http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/p3rc-mv49
Graduation Year:: 2014
Language Label:: English
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:
Person:: Andrews, Richard (Pete), Kaza, Nikhil, MacDonald Gibson, Jacqueline, and Patane Curtis, Marie
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright

643. Town of Chapel Hill greenhouse gas emissions inventory municipal operations: 2005 through 2009

Title Tesim:: Town of Chapel Hill greenhouse gas emissions inventory municipal operations: 2005 through 2009
Creator:: Callaway, Brian C.
Date Created:: December 10, 2010
Date of publication:: 2010
Abstract Tesim:: The scientific evidence of climate change is now well established and necessitates immediate local and global action. This inventory represents the most assertive carbon reduction action yet by the Town of Chapel Hill. Inventorying is where the rubber meets the road in reducing our carbon footprint. Pledges, promises, and plans garner much attention, but inventories are the direction-setters of policy. In order to successfully manage greenhouse gases, it is imperative that emissions are accurately measured. A high-quality inventory indentifies all emission sources, can inform decision makers, and will monitor reduction progress. In many ways an inventory is like a road map: the carbon landscape is revealed, different paths to reduction are identified, and decisions now come with a sense of security provided by a detailed map. Enter this report: the first comprehensive greenhouse gas inventory of municipal operations for the Town of Chapel Hill. It covers the past five calendar years from 2005 to 2009, reported annually, and now gives the town full confidence to move forward. As the first exhaustive inventory conducted for the municipal operations of the Town of Chapel Hill, this report is intended to be a solid foundation for all future town greenhouse gas inventories. Detailed explanations are offered on an array of topics from the current scientific knowledge of climate change to the intricacies of carbon accounting to the methodology of each step. This detail is further necessitated by the fact that this report includes the 2005 baseline, which will likely be referenced by all future reduction targets. Climate change, though a global issue, is still a local matter. Local governments take out the trash, turn on the streetlights, provide transportation service, and shape the character of future growth. And across America it's cities that are at the forefront of climate change action. More and more local governments are responding to climate change in two ways: 1) mitigating the effects of climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions at the local level and 2) planning to adapt to some of the expected changes. This document speaks to the first action item: stopping the bleeding. It is the author's hope that this inventory, as an informational item, will help guide the early steps necessary to a carbon-reduced future in Chapel Hill and be an aide to all future carbon-related actions. And for the world's sake, hopefully there are many such actions.
Resource type:: Masters Paper
Location:: Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States
Access Right:: Open access
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Department of City and Regional Planning
Degree:: Master of City and Regional Planning
Degree Granting Institution:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Type:: http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/4qpd-pp07
Extent:: 53 p.
Language Label:: English
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:
Person:: Shay, Elizabeth and Callaway, Brian C.
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright

644. Developing a solar energy potential map for Chapel Hill, NC

Title Tesim:: Developing a solar energy potential map for Chapel Hill, NC
Creator:: Leitelt, Lyle Robert
Date Created:: December 10, 2010
Date of publication:: 2010
Abstract Tesim:: Throughout the country, municipalities are mitigating climate change by following the concept of sustainability and promoting themselves as "green" communities. A combination of state incentives and renewable portfolio standards has encouraged the growth of efficient, renewable energy in some communities (US DOE, 2009a). Many cities are looking at ways to decrease emissions and make their communities as carbon neutral as possible. In turn, energy conservation is becoming a bigger issue in the realm of planning. There are several initiatives and projects that cities are promoting, most of which utilize renewable energy, including the installation of solar energy systems throughout the existing urban framework. Local governments are attempting to make solar energy more accessible and affordable for homeowners and businesses (Herbst, 2009). One of the most innovative methods in helping communities with solar energy system installation is to provide a solar energy rooftop potential map. This project is intended to create a solar energy potential map for the Town of Chapel Hill to help with their sustainability efforts. The map's outcome shows the photovoltaic (PV) solar potential for every structure within Chapel Hill. By using raw unprocessed LiDAR data, digital elevation model (DEM) data, town created GIS layers, and GIS spatial analyst tools, every structure's solar area rooftop potential can be determined. Once this base solar rooftop potential is calculated, suitable areas for solar panels can be determined through adequate solar insolation and system cost efficiency. These suitable areas can provide several benefits: the energy savings potential; the installation costs and long term monetary savings (including rebates); and the carbon emissions savings. The calculations of this project are beneficial to several groups including the town's government, homeowners and business owners, and the general public. This project is concurrent with many of the sustainability-focused initiatives that Chapel Hill is committed to and will enhance the town's efforts for energy efficiency.
Resource type:: Masters Paper
Location:: Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States
Access Right:: Open access
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Department of City and Regional Planning
Degree:: Master of City and Regional Planning
Degree Granting Institution:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Type:: http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/w4x0-jx42
Extent:: 30 p.
Graduation Year:: 2010
Language Label:: English
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:
Person:: BenDor, Todd and Leitelt, Lyle Robert
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright

645. Can town and country both be green? A comparative study of green building programs and policies in urban and fast-growing rural counties in North Carolina

Title Tesim:: Can town and country both be green? A comparative study of green building programs and policies in urban and fast-growing rural counties in North Carolina
Creator:: Van Schaack, Chandler Grant
Date Created:: December 10, 2010
Date of publication:: 2009
Abstract Tesim:: Interest in green building has exploded in recent years due to a number of factors. Evidence of global climate change, national security issues relating to dependence on foreign oil, and an economic recession have all helped spur policy makers in the direction of energy efficiency and renewable energy use. While the federal government has enacted a few policies that address green building, the main impetus for addressing energy efficiency in buildings has come from state and local governments. Many state governments, including North Carolina, have adopted legislation meant to promote green building through the use of various financial incentives. Within North Carolina there have been a number of counties and municipalities have adopted policies meant to promote green building as well. "Green public facility" requirements, financial incentives, and permit streamlining have all been ways that local governments have tried to encourage green building practices in North Carolina. The majority of green building policies in place are in urban areas such as Raleigh, Durham, Asheville and Winston-Salem; the vast majority of rural counties and municipalities in the state, which are home to nearly half of the state's residents (NC Rural Center, 2009), do not have any such policies in place. With much of the population growth in the coming decades expected to occur in presently rural areas close to major urban centers (Ibid), building and energy policies in these areas will likely play an increasingly important role in the state's efforts to address global climate change. The purpose of this study is to determine how green building practices can effectively be incorporated into local development policies in fast-growing rural areas that are close to urban centers so as to reduce the environmental impacts of current and future development in 2 these areas. Through a series of five exploratory case studies involving in-depth program analysis and a series of interviews, this study examines 1) why there has been a relative lack of green building initiatives in rural versus urban areas; 2) how different stakeholders influence the adoption and implementation of green building policies; and 3) which policies or programs can most effectively promote green building in fast-growing rural areas. Understanding some of the common constraints to green building and determining ways to effectively promote green building at the local level can provide a tool for local governments to proactively address global climate change and other environmental and economic issues related to rapid growth and development.
Resource type:: Masters Paper
Location:: City of Asheville, North Carolina, United States, Chatham, Georgia, United States, Durham, North Carolina, United States, Brunswick, North Carolina, United States, Durham, North Carolina, United States, Buncombe, North Carolina, United States, and Lincoln, North Carolina, United States
Access Right:: Open access
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Department of City and Regional Planning
Degree:: Master of City and Regional Planning
Degree Granting Institution:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Type:: http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/ranr-9q61
Extent:: 76 p.
Language Label:: English
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:
Person:: BenDor, Todd and Van Schaack, Chandler Grant
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright

646. Toward Sustainable Urbanism: Measureing Projects With LEED For Neighborhood Development

Title Tesim:: Toward Sustainable Urbanism: Measureing Projects With LEED For Neighborhood Development
Creator:: Cable, Faith
Date Created:: December 10, 2010
Date of publication:: April 2007
Abstract Tesim:: Sustainable development is seen as a solution that combines economic, environmental and social goals. By addressing environmental challenges, sustainable development can reduce the urgent threat of global warming caused by urban greenhouse gas emissions. During the 1990s, the smart growth movement and the Congress for the New Urbanism began to rethink the way cities are planned. LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND) recognizes developments that meet the goals of sustainable development and livable communities. The Congress for the New Urbanism, the U.S. Green Building Council and the Natural Resources Defense Council have partnered to create the new LEED-ND standards--a private certification system that will undergo it's pilot program in 2007. LEED-ND will certify projects that adhere to both green building standards and smart growth goals. This analysis uses the LEED-ND pilot program standard to measure three different projects: Stapleton, Noisette and Bloomington Central Station. Based on the evaluation of these projects according to the LEED-ND standards, differences among them are noticeable. Their initial site condition heavily affects the ability of each project to earn LEED-ND credits. As all of these projects are infill sites, they benefit from an inherent advantage according to the LEED-ND standards. However, the projects vary based on regional goals and priorities. Stapleton and Bloomington Central Station do a better job with transit service since their regions, Denver and Minneapolis/St. Paul respectively, have invested heavily in transit. Noisette does not have strong transit service; however it does have more attention paid to site design qualities and a master plan that exhibits the most recent thinking on sustainability. The analysis also shows where the LEED-ND standards do well in assessing different projects but it also highlights credits where the projects meet the intent of the credit yet do not meet the criteria. LEED-ND will be revised throughout the pilot program; however this assessment offers an early view of credits most likely to be problematic and in need of modification. Measuring sustainable development has been problematic in the past; however the LEED-ND offers the first way to measure developments on a nationwide scale. While LEED-ND is not a perfect or ideal standard, it does provide an achievable goal that developers of new neighborhoods can strive for. By setting high yet reachable goals, LEED-ND can help change standard business practice to a culture that uses sustainability objects as a competitive advantage in the development of new neighborhoods.
Resource type:: Masters Paper
Location:: Bloomington, Minnesota, United States, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States, Stapleton International Airport, Colorado, United States, Denver, Colorado, United States, and Charleston, South Carolina, United States
Access Right:: Open access
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Department of City and Regional Planning
Degree:: Master of City and Regional Planning
Degree Granting Institution:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Type:: http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/0cd9-ky25
Extent:: 106 p.
Language Label:: English
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:
Person:: Berke, Philip and Cable, Faith
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright
Subject:: Stapleton International Airport and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System

647. Make it right: a post-Katrina rebuilding initiative

Title Tesim:: Make it right: a post-Katrina rebuilding initiative
Creator:: Darden, Elizabeth
Date Created:: March 6, 2013
Date of publication:: April 2011
Abstract Tesim:: The 2005 hurricane season's devastating effect on the city of New Orleans is well-documented, as is the government's failed response. Since then, we have seen the 2008 Myanmar cyclone, the 2010 Haiti earthquake, and most recently, the 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunamis. These are just a few of the most devastating natural disasters of the last decade, but disasters of all sizes are becoming increasingly prevalent. A 2007 report found that the number of annual natural disasters has increased four-fold since the 1980s (Magrath, 2007). Furthermore, disasters affect poor populations disproportionately, which was certainly true in New Orleans. These poor communities tend to take longer to recover, and frequently, their vulnerability is not diminished through the recovery process (Magrath, 2007). Instead, the communities are rebuilt to their former condition, only to be devastated again in the future. In 2007, it appeared that this was happening in New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward, the neighborhood that sustained the most property damage and loss of life during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Seeing this, Brad Pitt founded the Make It Right Foundation (MIR) to build homes and bring displaced homeowners back to the Lower Ninth Ward. With the help of some of the world's most famous architects, they are working to rebuild a resilient community that will be the one of the most environmentally sustainable neighborhood in the world (Sustainability in Practice, 2010). The project is an example of how private initiatives can fill the gaps in government assistance by using community-based models to create long-term recovery. Additionally, the project's impact will extend beyond the Lower Ninth; MIR is innovating to find a balance between four seemingly contradictory elements of homebuilding-high design, hurricane resistance, affordability and the highest standards of green building. At a time when energy costs are rising and concern about climate change is mounting, these homes seek to provide the kind of practical, accessible design and technological solutions that are becoming more relevant as natural disasters become more frequent. MIR's methods and technologies have the potential to impact rebuilding efforts worldwide. One can extract lessons from MIR about the progress it has made on issues ranging from community engagement to construction techniques. MIR is not just relevant from a community resiliency or disaster rebuilding perspective; there are lessons to be learned for future affordable housing initiatives in general.
Resource type:: Masters Paper
Location:: New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Department of City and Regional Planning
Degree:: Master of City and Regional Planning
Degree Granting Institution:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Deposit Record:: b3ab205f-7827-443a-b796-3f32525f3bb2
Type:: http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/38af-cv50
Extent:: 53
Language Label:: English
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:
Person:: Berke, Philip and Darden, Elizabeth
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright

648. Strategies to spur the residential energy efficiency retrofit market: a market survey of the Philadelphia metropolitan area

Title Tesim:: Strategies to spur the residential energy efficiency retrofit market: a market survey of the Philadelphia metropolitan area
Creator:: Chasnow, Michael
Date Created:: June 13, 2016
Date of publication:: May 2012
Abstract Tesim:: Energy costs are steadily rising, increasingly burdening the lower and middle classes in the United States, and the risk of climate change and its effects on our food and water systems can be found in the newspapers every week. For the average person, domestic and international energy debates and crises seem too big to tackle. What can individual residents do to combat climate change on the micro-level, and also reduce their own energy cost burden?
Resource type:: Masters Paper
Location:: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Department of City and Regional Planning
Degree:: Master of City and Regional Planning
Degree Granting Institution:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Deposit Record:: 0e1dbc25-8afd-47c2-8d12-1be85ddc77f8
Type:: http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/24fg-bt32
Extent:: 38
Graduation Year:: 2012
Language Label:: English
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:
Person:: Lester, T. William and Chasnow, Michael
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright

649. A Geospatial Assessment of Urban Tree Canopy and Policy Recommendations for Its Equitable Distribution in Durham and Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Title Tesim:: A Geospatial Assessment of Urban Tree Canopy and Policy Recommendations for Its Equitable Distribution in Durham and Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Creator:: Kolosna, Carl
Date Created:: July 7, 2017
Date of publication:: May 2017
Abstract Tesim:: INTRODUCTION: Why does the urban tree canopy matter? The composition of built and natural elements can substantially affect the health of people that live within a city. A primary mechanism that relates human health impacts and the built environment is the “urban heat island” effect – a phrase derived from the “island” of hotter air that is situated around an urban environment. The urban heat island phenomenon is characterized by empirical observations of higher temperatures within built environments when compared to more natural environments. Although many variables affect the magnitude of the UHI, the urban tree canopy (UTC) is one of the most influential. The UHI effect presents a serious hazard to human health, as increased temperature can cause respiratory difficulty, increase the chance of heat-stroke, exhaustion, and heat-related mortality. Just as planning operations can influence the UTC, they can also influence the level of impact that temperature increase will have on people by implementing measures (like preserving or increasing UTC) that mitigate the heat island effect.
Resource type:: Masters Paper
Location:: Durham, North Carolina, United States and Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Department of City and Regional Planning
Degree:: Master of City and Regional Planning
Degree Granting Institution:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Deposit Record:: e6ba867e-ce19-4e2f-a82f-f75dea8932f9
Type:: http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/b49m-9548
Extent:: 74 p.
Graduation Year:: 2017
Keyword:: equity, urban heat island, urban tree canopy, development ordinance, and climate change
Language Label:: English
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:
Person:: Spurlock, Danielle and Kolosna, Carl
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright

650. Climate change impact assessment for individual developments: evaluating transportation's contribution

Title Tesim:: Climate change impact assessment for individual developments: evaluating transportation's contribution
Creator:: Brubaker, Jeffery S.
Date Created:: December 10, 2010
Date of publication:: April 2009
Abstract Tesim:: Recent research suggests that global climate change impacts may be more serious than predicted even two years ago. The transportation sector is a major contributor of greenhouse gases (GHGs), and the context, design, and operation of urban developments influence the extent of their transportation-related climate change impacts. Impact assessment is a formal environmental policy tool that has only recently expanded to climate change, most notably under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). This paper suggests a conceptual framework for setting a significance threshold for climate change impacts from individual developments, discussing challenges and measurement techniques. It reports the findings of a policy review of California regulations, plans, and CEQA environmental impact reports (EIRs) that address climate change. It supplements the review with notes from interviews with California officials and planners involved in climate change policy. A hypothetical application of the significance framework estimates that development-influenced vehicle travel contributes to about 3.4% of total U.S. GHGs. It is possible for developments to avoid a significant contribution to climate change through location, design, and travel demand management strategies that have been shown to reduce emissions. Climate change impact assessment is valuable for individual developments, but, given the nature of climate change, is best conducted at the regional or programmatic level. This accords with the current regionalization of climate change planning in California. The most effective approach for individual developments is a hybrid approach that combines emissions scenario modeling with a qualitative discussion of mitigation measures and climate-friendly project characteristics.
Resource type:: Masters Paper
Location:: California, California, United States
Access Right:: Open access
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Department of City and Regional Planning
Degree:: Master of City and Regional Planning
Degree Granting Institution:: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Type:: http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/430k-r021
Extent:: 36 p.
Language Label:: English
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:
Person:: McDonald, Noreen and Brubaker, Jeffery S.
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright

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