What one Maine city is doing to fight the effects of urban heat

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 19, 2021

Like many other Maine cities, Biddeford is regularly experiencing temperatures far higher than surrounding suburban and rural areas. That is because low tree cover and heat-absorbing infrastructure like roofs, buildings, pavement and parking lots trap more heat and release it slowly, creating a so-called urban heat island effect. But unlike other similar-sized cities, Biddeford is strategizing about how to minimize heat in the future by preserving and adding green spaces and using more porous surfaces.