Program Definition Report for Extreme Heat at Logan Airport South Boston Maritime Facilities

As part of an on-call contract, the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) retained Weston & Sampson to develop an urban heat Program Definition Report (PDR).

The purpose of the report was to outline current and future site conditions with field investigations, heat projections, and heat mitigation strategies for Logan Airport and South Boston Maritime properties. Our team performed a heat mitigation analysis and identified strategies for four Massport building sites. A key component of the project involved developing Urban Heat Island (UHI) models and heat index maps. Additionally, our team developed infrared thermography imagery for the four sites to record temperature variations and inform prioritized actions, supporting the Massport’s Net Zero planning efforts. Our work involved identifying and recommending UHI mitigation strategies at different locations. We tested the proposed solutions at a broad scale using the UHI models and assessed the co-benefits. The PDR is a comprehensive guide to the impacts of rising temperatures and outlines heat mitigation strategies for individual buildings along with implementable site-wide interventions.