Some Things We Learned That Are Relevant to Climate Action Planning

Reduce Building Energy Use

-Harden community centers for hurricanes, including reduced energy use.

-Energy Efficient Retrofits for homes

Community Forum discussions and Community Leader Interviews:  Parramore and Holden Heights residents say no emergency shelters were available during Hurricane Irma. 

-Mission Critical Functions Surveys in Parramore, Holden Heights and Mercy Drive identify vulnerability in Energy for Temperature Maintenance and for Cooking and Lighting.

Increase Renewable Energy

-Introduce affordable community Solar Programs in our communities

-Renewable off the grid energy for Community Centers so they can be distribution centers after hurricanes when the power is out 

Mission Critical Functions Surveys:

- #1 Need identified in Parramore, Holden Heights, and Downtown Orlando is Renewable Energy

-#2 Need in Parramore and Holden Heights is Shelter & Evacuation Systems 

-Power outages after Hurricane Irma created health and safety problems; especially for the elderly.

Holden-Parramore (56 Households Surveyed): Shelter and Evacuations received the most vulnerable ranking, followed by Renewable & Grid Energy, and then Environmental Health and Safety.Holden Heights interview <The Community Center should be able to serve as a hurricane evacuation center, clinic, and emergency food distribution.>

Holden Heights (37 Households Surveyed): Renewable vs Grid Energy received the lowest (and therefore most vulnerable) ranking, followed by Shelter & Evacuation Systems, and Climate Threat Mitigation & Transformation. 

Reduce Vehicle Travel

Electrify Vehicles

-Reduce commercial traffic around and through our communities

-Reduce vehicle traffic around and through our communities 

-Electric buses through our communities, including School Buses.

-Electrify vehicles delivering to industrial warehouses and plant and commercial enterprises in and adjacent to our communities

Air Quality is some of the worst in the country in these Orlando communities. Reducing commercial traffic through these neighborhoods, and using electric buses and trucks for utilities and other traffic in these communities will reduce the Diesel Particulate Matter and reduce the impact of the extremely high Traffic Proximity and Volume.

Community

NATA Diesel Particulate Matter

NATA Air Toxics Cancer Risk

NATA Respiratory Hazards Index

Traffic Proximity and Volume

Downtown Orlando

90-95th

95-100th

90-95th

96th

Holden Heights

90-95th

80th-90th

80th-90th

96th

Mercy Drive*

70th-80th

70th-80th

80th-90th

78th

Parramore

90th-95th

90th-95th

90th-95th

94th