2020 Annual Report

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2020 Annual Report

Letter from John Hall, President and CEO

2020 was an important year for HARC, and despite all the challenges the year offered, our research and programs continued to pursue science-backed solutions for the most significant problems in our region and around the world. Even during trying times, possibilities are endless, and our team successfully launched multiple programs in all research areas comprising air quality, clean energy, climate, geospatial and analytics, and water quality.

An inspiring environment shapes HARC’s research, and our team includes intelligent and conscientious people genuinely excited about what they do. This culture, this day-to-day experience, is what truly enables incredible things to happen.

I am honored to begin my role as President and CEO in 2021 by sharing the 2020 highlights in this Annual Report. In the following pages, you will learn more about our work through the voices of many enthusiastic community partners.

A few highlights from the following pages includes:

Ongoing work within Harris County, Texas to measure and analyze air quality.
Continuation of US DOE’s Southcentral and Upper West Combined Heat and Power Technical Assistance Partnership – a “no-cost”, technical assistance, education and outreach program to help educate end-users on best practices and policies for CHP investment.
Launch of Pythias Climate Analytics – an online tool to assist in energy planning under various climate risk scenarios.
The development of the Texas Litter Database- the only comprehensive tracking tool of its kind for use in the state, which will help enhance tracking and measurement of solid waste pollution.

Please feel free to reach out to me or any of the HARC staff, and please continue to follow our work and our ongoing commitment to building a sustainable future that helps people thrive and nature flourish.

Stay tuned – 2021 holds the promise for even greater possibilities.

DOWNLOAD 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

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USDA Forest Service “ForUsTree” Initiative

The initiative, “ForUsTree: Creating an Inclusive Community Canopy within Houston and Harris County,” will use equitable and inclusive engagement and a community-based approach to implement multiple tree plantings, reforestation projects, and educational activities in the region’s most vulnerable areas.

A Case for Cool Trees: Advancing Houston’s Tree Equity Report

Funded by the Mitsubishi Corporation, HARC's report, "A Case for Cool Trees: Advancing Houston’s Tree Equity," provides guidance on how to plan and conduct urban tree plantings equitably to reduce climate and health risks, and makes the evidence-based case for increasing tree canopy and improving tree equity in cities, especially for urban heat mitigation.

COVID-19 Impacts

HARC's COVID-19 research studied the regulatory measures enacted by local governments to slow the rate of infection and also the effects stay-at-home orders had on infrastructure systems, communities, and the environment.