The 20th Century city was made possible by inventions such as the automobile and air conditioning. But as temperatures rise and cities continue to grow in both size and population, we are quickly approaching the sustainable threshold of use of these polluting technologies. The historic ways we have gone about AC unit construction; city and building design, and the traditional combustion vehicle, have all contributed to the urban heat island effect experienced in most major metropolitans, especially those along the U.S. I-10 corridor.

Reflective building materials, prolific concrete, and densely packed vehicles both absorb and give off excess heat. As AC units work to cool large high-rises throughout a warming city, the heat from within gets displaced back out into the street. The energy and refrigerants used to complete this task currently contribute more than 7% of total global greenhouse gas emissions— and that amount could double by 2050, Clean Cooling Collaborative reports.

This interview between Ten Across founder Duke Reiter and Gensler strategic design and planning leaders, Anthony Brower and Dylan Jones, was recorded moments after our live discussion with author Jeff Goodell at the Gensler office in Downtown Los Angeles. Together, the three build upon themes covered in Jeff’s latest book, “The Heat Will Kill You First: Life and Death on a Scorched Planet;” including the ways in which the 21st Century city may develop and evolve to better serve its residents and natural environment.

This episode is also available to watch at 10across.com/category/video