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University of Miami study finds many homes in Miami‑Dade reached dangerous indoor heat levels; researchers point to energy burden and ineffective cooling
Summary
A countywide 2022 study of 57 households found some homes registering indoor heat-index values high enough to cause health effects even when residents paid high energy bills; researchers and city staff discussed implications for targeting cooling, weatherization and assistance programs.
Myra Cruz, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Miami, told the City of Miami Climate Resilience Committee on May 5 that a countywide study of 57 households found indoor heat and energy burdens that left some residents at risk even when they were spending a large share of income on cooling.
"We essentially were trying to understand what indoor heat looks like across Miami‑Dade County," Cruz said during a presentation to the committee. She described sensors that collected indoor temperature and humidity every 10 minutes from June 1 through Oct. 31, 2022, allowing the team to compute an indoor heat index for participating homes.
The study found several distinct patterns: homes that behaved like "greenhouses" with indoor temperatures exceeding nearby airport outdoor readings; homes where indoor temperatures tracked outdoor swings; and homes where thermostats were set…
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