LA's Secret Weapon Against Blistering Heat? Simple, Pop-Up Shade.
As Los Angeles grapples with increasingly severe heat waves, a new initiative called ShadeLA is exploring quick-fix solutions beyond traditional tree planting. This collaborative effort, spearheaded by UCLA and USC, recently tested temporary shade sails in Exposition Park, providing much-needed relief from 103-degree temperatures. With climate change intensifying urban heat, finding immediate and adaptable ways to cool public spaces is crucial for public health and comfort, especially in communities historically lacking green infrastructure.
It was just five red and yellow fabric sails strung between streetlights, but during a scorching 103-degree day in Exposition Park, they made a world of difference. Thousands of people heading to the USC Homecoming game found welcome respite under these temporary canopies. As Edith de Guzman, co-director of ShadeLA, noted, being under the sails made the intense heat feel “doable.”
ShadeLA, a year-old collaboration with city and county partners, aims to broaden Los Angeles's approach to cooling its public spaces. Traditionally, the focus has been on planting trees. While trees offer numerous environmental benefits, they take years to grow and aren't always feasible in dense urban areas. Budget cuts to urban forestry and rapidly intensifying heat waves driven by global warming highlight the urgent need for additional solutions.
This is where "built shade" comes in—canopies, awnings, and other structures that can be installed quickly. These solutions don't actively cool the air like trees, but they effectively block sunlight, reducing surface temperatures by tens of degrees and making spaces feel much cooler. This isn't a new idea; journalist Sam Bloch points out that cities in Roman times and even early Los Angeles utilized porticos and arcades for pedestrian comfort.
However, with the rise of air conditioning and car culture, the art of built shade was largely lost. Today, only 24% of Los Angeles has shade coverage at noon, with even less in low-income communities and areas with more people of color. The challenge now lies in navigating complicated city permitting processes to quickly deploy these vital structures, especially with the 2028 Olympics approaching.
ShadeLA is actively pushing for policy changes and running pilot programs, like a temporary shade structure at a Metro station (read more) and a pop-up tent at Harvard Park (see here). The recent Exposition Park pilot demonstrated that while less effective at air cooling, these nimble shade sails are an attractive option for rapid deployment during extreme heat. As Southern California experiences record-breaking heat waves like those recently seen in October (details here), such adaptable solutions are becoming increasingly critical for community well-being and climate resilience.