Lower Roxbury is a vibrant and diverse neighborhood in Boston, Its historic district is a cultural center for African American, West African and Caribbean communities that have settled in nearby Roxbury and Dorchester.
As the area evolved, it became a destination for African Americans migrating from the American South and later on, for African and Caribbean immigrants, due to its proximity to industrial jobs and the many Black businesses and institutions that call Roxbury home.
With fewer parks and trees to absorb heat, Dorchester and Roxbury experience temperatures 2-6˚F hotter than the rest of Boston. Construction and development in these neighborhoods is concentrating new housing in these neighborhoods, while also diminishing the availability of urban green space and exacerbating extreme heat impacts.
When community members identified the lack of green space and youth education and vocational opportunities as priorities for the neighborhood through the Resilience 4 Communities program, a local youth development organization identified a location in Dorchester where they could train young people to build shade and seating to improve an underused lot and its potential as a community green space.
Green jobs training is preparing young people for green careers and fostering climate resilience in their communities.
Green construction training equips underserved youth with the skills needed for careers in sustainable building practices, focusing on environmentally responsible construction techniques and the development of resilient infrastructure.
Through a structured curriculum centered on sustainable design and communitybased projects,
participants gain hands-on experience in the green economy and construction trades.
The Tactical Guide to Urban Cooling Infrastructure helps communities design, implement and scale urban cooling solutions.
The Design Toolkit for Urban Cooling Infrastructure is a publicly accessible guide that equips community leaders, nonprofits, and city governments with practical strategies to implement equitable cooling interventions in underserved urban areas most impacted by climate change.
Co-created through community engagement, this toolkit provides actionable guidance for developing cooling stations and serves as a vital resource for community stakeholders working to enhance urban resilience.
Cooling structures transformed an underused lot into an urban oasis
Four cooling stations in Dorchester provide relief from extreme heat while integrating climate resilience with cultural programming. YouthBuild students were actively involved in the design process, gaining hands-on experience that improves their readiness for careers in construction trades and the green economy.
Beyond infrastructure, these cooling structures foster community engagement, storytelling and long-term advocacy for climate resilience and public space investment.
These transformations are being powered by a diverse group of organizations. Together, we are creating a stronger, more resilient community.
Keep scrolling to meet our partners!
Dorchester Weather Theater Ensemble
The Dorchester Weather Theater Ensemble has used the city-owned lot where the cooling structures were built and assembled as a rehearsal location, helps take care of the cooling stations and has led community engagement activities to encourage residents to use the space.
The Apostolic Church (LAWNA)
The Apostolic Church is a historically Black house of worship located next to the city-owned lot where the cooling structures were built. The congregation regularly uses the lot for picnics and other community activities and takes part in looking after the space, maintaining the cooling structures and engaging community members on preserving this local green space.
Z Zurich Foundation
Z Zurich Foundation provides global leadership and core funding for the program, lending its expertise through tools like Climate Resilience Measurement for Communities to ensure projects reflect community priorities ands contribute to a broader impact.
Zurich North America
Zurich North America is sharing resilience expertise with cities and communities, helping assess projects developed by community members and bringing volunteers to community events.
Architecture for Public Benefit
Architecture for Public Benefit provided design support to creating an accessible and visually compelling guide to the Chinatown Community Heat Action Plan, as well as a foldable, bilingual pamphlet explaining the plan in Chinese and English.
Resilient Cities Network
R-Cities employs tools to assess community resilience, develop solutions with community members and mobilize funding for resilience action through Resilient Community Impact Funds (RCI Funds).
Boston Climate Ready Team
The Climate Ready Team has supported the Resilience 4 Communities program in Boston since the very beginning, helping collect survey responses from community members, convening relevant organizations and supporting the implementation of community climate initiatives.
YouthBuild Boston
YouthBuild Boston has led the co-creation, design and implementation of the green construction curriculum and the four cooling structures.
YouthBuild Global
YouthBuild Global is a national organization bringing together youth-focused training and development programs and is partnering with its national affiliates to roll out the green construction curriculum in other cities and communities.
