New study outlines high costs of extreme heat in Phoenix

By ANITA SNOW
Associated Press

PHOENIX (AP) — Extreme heat is expensive. That’s the conclusion of a study presented Monday by The Nature Conservancy. The organization commissioned a look at the costs of rising temperatures in Phoenix, the hottest large metropolitan area in the U.S. The Nature Conservancy worked with Phoenix-based business management consultant AECOM. The nonprofit environmental organization known for its preserves and efforts to protect biodiversity this time turned its attention to the effects of rising temperatures on Arizona’s biggest urban area. The study concluded planting more trees and covering the region’s buildings with “cool roofs” could save billions of dollars over three decades.