Research
Projects
Work under the Adapt Initiative will document and improve urban resilience, building on prior team collaborations and expertise. This work will complement the Trienens Institute’s broader mission of advancing the energy transition while ensuring equitable, community-driven outcomes.The first project under Adapt will draw on the expertise of Northwestern and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in a collaboration focused on climate adaptation initiatives in Chicago.
Past Projects
Transportation and Air Quality Advocacy
Professors Horton and Weinstock have collaborated on efforts to reduce greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions from on-road vehicles through proceedings with the Illinois Pollution Control Board. Their work has centered on phasing out diesel engines that disproportionately impact people of color and low-income communities. In these proceedings, Weinstock and the Environmental Advocacy Center represent community and public health groups, while Horton has served as a technical witness, using his lab’s air quality modeling to demonstrate the health benefits of zero-emission transportation.
Chicago Climate Adaptation Collaboration
Professor Horton collaborated with Chicago residents, academics, and municipal leaders from the Departments of Environment and Public Health to develop a city-wide heat vulnerability index. The tool documents the factors that elevate heat-related mortality during extreme heat events, supports Chicago’s 2022 Climate Action Plan, and helps identify which communities should be prioritized for resilience-building initiatives and policies.