308151 external_news 1405084058 1475893631 Dense metropolises of concrete, glass and asphalt are poised to warm faster than their surroundings as the planet heats up. The higher temperatures mean more severe heat waves, which, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, are already the deadliest weather phenomenon in the United States. However, there are tricks cities can use to cool off, and recent research at Georgia Tech shows these tactics can save lives, even as the climate changes. "No studies had looked at how cities could mitigate those impacts through what we would call 'climate responsive design,'" said Brian Stone Jr., associate professor of city and regional planning and lead author of the report. "The major emphasis here is that cities should be undertaking heat management planning," he said. "There are steps they can take to actually slow the rate at which they're warming."

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