Boston homes were built for winter. That's becoming a problem

Summary

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Episode Overview

Podcast: Climate Connections
Episode Title: Boston homes were built for winter. That's becoming a problem
Date: August 3, 2026
Host: Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz

In this concise episode, Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz explores the challenge of Boston’s aging housing stock, originally built to retain heat for harsh winters, now posing risks during hotter summers due to climate change. He interviews Julia Nassar from the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), who explains both the issue and potential solutions, like implementing cool roofs to mitigate extreme indoor heat.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Problem: Winter-Hardened Homes, Summer Heat Risks

• Boston’s Historic Housing: Many homes were constructed for an era dominated by cold winters, prioritizing heat retention.
• Climate Change Impacts: Rising temperatures and more frequent heat waves are creating indoor heat concerns that these homes are not equipped to handle.

Notable Quote

• Julia Nassar [00:23]:
  “The buildings were built for winters, and so they’re really good at retaining heat, which is particularly problematic in the summers. They’re not built with cooling or proper ventilation.”

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2. Proposed Solution: Cool Roofs

• What are Cool Roofs?
  Roofs coated with reflective materials that reduce heat absorption, helping to keep not just individual homes but entire neighborhoods cooler.
• Co-benefits:
  • Easier cooling indoors (reduced strain on ACs or fans)
  • Energy bill savings
  • Neighborhood heat mitigation

Notable Quote

• Julia Nassar [00:45]:
  “And, you know, it makes running your ACs or fans easier. And so you’re also kind of saving money on your energy bills. So it’s really like a great holistic solution.”

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3. Tools and Resources for Residents

• Online Assessment:
  Julia Nassar’s team developed a digital tool for homeowners, roofers, and others to determine their roof’s suitability for the cool roof approach, based on simple data like roof slope and materials.
  [00:54]
• Public Mapping:
  They also released a map identifying Boston buildings that could benefit most from cool roofs, assisting both residents and policymakers in targeting improvements.

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4. Hopes for the Future

• Scalability:
  By broadening the adoption of these tools and approaches, Julia Nassar aims for city-wide resilience against future extreme heat events, prioritizing both safety and energy efficiency.

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Memorable Moments

• Contextual Problem Framing ([00:01]-[00:32]):
  Dr. Leiserowitz sets the stage by directly linking Boston’s past weather patterns with modern challenges, making climate change impacts tangible and immediate for listeners.
• Action-Oriented Solution ([00:32]-[00:54]):
  The episode quickly moves toward actionable hope, highlighting MAPC’s practical, accessible resources that empower individuals and communities.

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Important Timestamps

• 00:01: Introduction to Boston’s climate-related housing problem
• 00:23: Julia Nassar explains how home designs are misaligned with today’s summer heat
• 00:32: Definition and impact of cool roofs
• 00:45: Added benefits—cost savings, neighborhood cooling
• 00:54: Online suitability tool and public mapping resource

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Conclusion

This episode spotlights the practical steps Boston residents and officials can take to adapt old infrastructure to new climate realities. Through the lens of cool roofs and data-driven tools, Dr. Leiserowitz and Julia Nassar underscore the importance of local, scalable solutions that save both money and lives as extreme heat becomes more common.

For more information: Visit climateconnections.org

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Transcript

[A]

I'm Dr. Anthony Liesiewicz, and this is Climate Connections. As climate change brings more extreme heat to the Boston area, some residents homes may become swelteringly hot. Julia Nassar of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, a public agency, says many buildings in the city were designed for the cooler climate Boston had in the past.

[B]

The buildings were built for winters, and so they're really good at retaining heat, which is particularly problematic in the summers. They're not built with cooling or proper ventilation.

[A]

But she says cool roofs could help. Cool roofs are covered in reflective coatings or other materials that limit how much heat the roof absorbs from the sun. This helps both the building and the surrounding area stay cooler.

[B]

And, you know, it makes running your ACs or fans easier. And so you're also kind of saving money on your energy bills. So it's really like a great holistic solution.

[A]

NASA's group has created an online assessment where owners, roofers, and others can enter information like a roof slope and materials to determine how suitable it is to convert to a cool roof. They also released a map to help residents and public officials find buildings in the Boston area that could benefit from cool roofs. Nasser hopes these tools help make cool roofs more widespread so people can stay safe from the heat. Climate Connections is produced by the Yale center for Environmental Communication. To learn more about climate change, visit climateconnections.org.