Tech alone won't cool a city

David Jácome-Polit: Technology is an important tool, but its usefulness depends on the problem to be solved. A hammer is useful for hammering nails, but not for unscrewing screws. We first need to understand the context and problem: is there a lack of data, or a lack of understanding of how heat hazards affect a city? Are there questions about what methodology to use, or a need to clarify policy to ensure that any proposed solution is the right one?

David Jácome-Polit, Head of Resilient Development, Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI)

In Quito, Ecuador, a key challenge is the prevalence of informal settlements, transportation, and food systems, where residents are often excluded from formal structures. Faced with limited options, they create their own solutions. However, these solutions, through no fault of their own, are often substandard. The real challenge lies in identifying policies that can address the underlying structural factors driving this behavior. This situation underscores the disconnect between solutions that work in cities with formal economies and the complex realities of informal, underserved urban environments.

Gavin Allen: What role did technology play in Quito, and how do you get the data needed to help those operating outside the formal structures?

David Jácome-Polit: Technology helped show us what we didn’t know. During an exercise in support of food security policies, we used data-mining tools to understand how the built environment worked — for example, how housing supply and demand played out across different neighborhoods. Mapping software let us layer multiple dimensions onto a single image: poverty levels, the pressures on women such as single mothers, and even proximity to food. Bringing these datasets together gave us a clearer picture of context, helped us refine public policy, and showed us where to prioritize public limited resources.

But technology could only go so far, especially in areas where people operate outside formal systems. There, we built direct connections. We set up a citywide participation structure, from neighborhood groups to the metropolitan level, and worked with community leaders to fill in the data gaps. That local intelligence proved essential during the Covid-19 lockdown. We knew roughly where the 250,000 food-insecure residents lived, but neighborhood leaders helped identify those most at risk — single mothers, disabled people, the elderly. We could then geolocate those households and target support quickly.

Gavin Allen: How did the technological steps you took help you tackle the problem of urban heat?

David Jácome-Polit: Urban heat risk comes from the combination of hazard, exposure, and vulnerability. Satellite data helped us see which areas heat up the most — concrete surfaces aren’t distributed evenly across the city — but we also needed to understand the social and economic vulnerabilities beneath those hotspots. Bringing these datasets together let us close information gaps, design solutions that fit each neighborhood, and develop policies we could scale.

But technology by itself isn’t enough. Citizen participation is also essential; it tells us whether the data reflects what’s actually happening on the ground.

Gavin Allen: Aside from investing more and ensuring people participate, how did you get more data?

David Jácome-Polit: We used several sources. First, we drew on official municipal data. Then, to understand socio-economic conditions, we combined big-data tools with national census information to map patterns — such as where single mothers live — and used those insights appropriately. Some non-public organizations also hold valuable data. For example, NGOs working with migrants often have the best information on those communities, which are among the most excluded.

And, of course, you can always gather information directly from people on the ground. Beyond these local and national sources, we also used global datasets on hazards, infrastructure, and risk modelling.

Gavin Allen: What impact can smart infrastructure (connected street lights, IoT-enabled buildings smart traffic systems) have on urban heat?

David Jácome-Polit: Urban heat fundamentally exacerbates existing city challenges. A sprawling urban landscape, reliant on private cars, not only increases hard surfaces but also subjects the majority of residents—who commute by walking or public transportation—to extreme heat. To effectively tackle this issue, we must address the root causes. While targeted solutions can certainly help, the first priority should be reducing hard, gray surfaces and expanding green infrastructure. This approach also supports reduced reliance on private cars, which, though politically difficult, would free up valuable public space. Once these foundational changes are made, we can begin implementing city-cooling solutions, complementing them with other sustainable measures.

Gavin Allen: Connectivity can be uneven, both within and between cities. How do you ensure connectivity is universal and that digital heat resilient solutions don't widen inequality?

David Jácome-Polit: Systems must work properly for everyone, and must be inclusive. If they aren’t, you must first close that gap, and then implement the other measures. Sustainability, equity and justice are not beneficial side-effects of doing things right; they are the core goals you want to achieve. After that, you use whatever tools and capabilities you have to lessen the impact of urban heat.

Gavin Allen: Private tech companies are increasingly interested in climate adaptation. What kinds of public-private partnerships are most effective for scaling heat resilience measures?

David Jácome-Polit: Public-private partnerships can be powerful. The public sector has the mandate to act, but not always the skills or technology to deliver. The private sector can bring those capabilities, and it’s in its interest to do so. But both sides need to meet in the middle: governments must be more open to partnership, and the private sector needs to see the public sector as a collaborator rather than an obstacle.

Gavin Allen: Do you think we’re winning the urban heat battle?

David Jácome-Polit: I’m optimistic, but realistic. We haven’t lost the battle, but unchecked emissions and slow action on adaptation make it harder every day — and extreme heat could eventually exceed our ability to cope. Technology is a powerful tool, but only part of the answer. We also need strong leadership, engaged communities, and policies that address the problem systemically.