Almost 6% of Arizona’s workforce is at risk from extreme heat, according to a new study by researchers at Arizona State University. The research, conducted by Patricia Solis and Jieshu Wang, analyzed more than 16,000 tasks across 663 occupations in the state. The findings aim to inform policies for workforce development, safety measures, and infrastructure improvements as climate change intensifies heat waves.
Patricia Solis, a research professor in ASU’s School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning and executive director of the Knowledge Exchange for Resilience, explained the origins of the study: “Remember how the summer of 2023 was the hottest on record so far? That was the year that there was a declaration of emergency because of the extreme heat in August by the governor of Arizona, Gov. (Katie) Hobbs. Then in September, we at the Knowledge Exchange for Resilience at ASU were asked by Director Maren Mahoney of the Governor’s Office of Resiliency to help respond to the governor’s executive order that was part of that disaster declaration — the first in Arizona’s history — to put together the state’s first heat preparedness plan for the following year.”
The study identified two categories: heat-vulnerable jobs and heat-solution jobs. Heat-vulnerable jobs account for 15% of Arizona’s workforce and include roles such as construction workers, farmers, transportation staff, and building maintenance personnel who are frequently exposed to high temperatures without adequate cooling.
Jieshu Wang described their approach: “Great question. In fact, not only did we have to devise a brand new study, but we also had to develop new concepts and new innovative methods to answer this question about the latent capacity of our workforce to build resilience. We defined two kinds of heat-related jobs in this study: heat-vulnerable jobs (15% of Arizona’s workforce) and heat-solution jobs(14.4%). About 6% of Arizona’s workforce fall under both categories.”
Heat-solution jobs make up over 14% of workers and involve tasks that help communities adapt or respond during extreme heat events. These include environmental scientists researching climate impacts; emergency medical technicians responding to illnesses; technical professionals like electricians maintaining cooling systems; urban planners organizing resources; and operators handling emergency calls.
Wang noted an unexpected finding: “To me, one of the most surprising results was that legislators showed up as a top heat-resilience occupation. At first it sounds odd, since lawmakers are not the ones outside pouring concrete or fixing power lines, but when we looked closer, it made sense. More than half of their tasks — like drafting policies, laws and budgets — directly shape how communities adapt to extreme heat.”
Solis highlighted another key insight: “What probably surprised us both the most was the overlap between the two groups. We found 31 ‘dual-impact’ occupations that are both highly exposed to heat and, at the same time, essential for heat resilience. Together they account for about 6% of Arizona’s workforce. These include construction laborers, landscapers, electricians, plumbers, heating and cooling technicians, firefighters, roofers and maintenance workers.” She added that these workers are vital yet among those most affected by rising temperatures.
The researchers recommended several policy actions including expanding front-line responder capacity—such as HVAC technicians—and increasing specialized weatherization workforces needed for housing upgrades against extreme temperatures.
Solis stated: “We saw the plan as a resilience blueprint for the future… Our recommendations … helped to further inform how to expand heat safety in the workplace… elevate attention to heat issues in transportation planning… incentivize private-sector investments for heat resilience…” She also suggested commissioning a Future Heat Workforce Study for better strategic planning.
Arizona State University has been recognized nationally for its innovation efforts over multiple years according to U.S News & World Report.
In related efforts involving technology partnerships with local government agencies the City of Phoenix Street Transportation Department is working with ASU tech startup Argos Vision on smart traffic cameras aimed at improving public safety during challenging conditions such as excessive summer temperatures.
