HARC | Houston Advanced Research Center

HARC is observing International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies on September 7th. The UN has designated 2024 to be the year of investment into #CleanAirNow, urging communities, organizations, and institutions to focus on the need for increased investment, stronger partnerships, and shared responsibility to combat air pollution. Air pollution creates a two-fold problem by severely impacting health and climate. In 2016, there was an estimated premature death toll of about 6.5 million people, as a result. Air pollution is the greatest environmental risk to human health, and a leading cause of death and diseases worldwide, disproportionately affecting developing countries. HARC seeks to find science-based solutions to environmental and social issues, which includes conducting air quality research to understand causes of air pollution through modeling and analysis. HARC is involved in several projects aimed to strategically support the broad deployment of clean distributed energy resources, which play an instrumental role in improving air quality. How are you going to invest in #CleanAirNow? Read more about International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies here https://bit.ly/3AUaR9V #HARCResearch #AirPollution #UNGoals #InternationalDayofCleanAirforBlueSkies #AirQuality

🐦⬛ It’s that time of the year again! 💡 HARC is proud to support the Houston Audubon Lights Out for Birds initiative. The Houston Audubon encourages businesses, buildings, and individuals across the state to turn off all nonessential lights from 11 PM to 6 AM throughout spring and fall migration. Why does turning off the lights matter? Most North American migratory birds fly at night, so by turning off the lights it can help reduce deadly collisions, disorientation, and exhaustion that can impact their migration. The Central Flyway, an important migratory path for birds, passes through the Upper Texas Coast. Birds that move along and across the Gulf of Mexico depend on safe passage through the densely urban Houston-Galveston area. When does it start? August 15 - November 30 - Peak period: September 5 - October 29 Lights out! 💡 Learn more about the Lights Out initiative here https://bit.ly/4e7zWfM #HARCResearch #LightsOutTexas #AudubonTexas #BringBirdsBack #BirdMigration #Protectbirds #TexasConservation #WildlifeConservation  

Energy Policy Advisory Council member Dr. Margaret Cook is the Deputy Director for Climate Equity and Resilience at HARC | Houston Advanced Research Center. As part of  her role, she is working to help bring solar to communities across Texas who need it most through Texas Solar for All. We are grateful to Dr. Cook and the HARC team for their leadership!

🔋 How can we ensure a fair transition to clean energy while advancing social and environmental goals? Join us for the latest crossover episode of ESG Decoded Podcast with Energy Crossroads! In this episode, Amanda Kuhl and Emma Gillespie Cox chat with Marina V. Badoian-Kriticos of HARC | Houston Advanced Research Center to talk about the impact of federal initiatives like Justice40, effective community engagement strategies, and pioneering clean energy projects in Texas. Don’t miss the opportunity to learn about driving equitable energy transitions and creating a sustainable future for all! Tune in here: https://lnkd.in/gZ2pb8jt #ESGDecoded #ESGPodcast #ClimeCo #EnvironmentalMarkets #ESG #ESGGoals #Sustainability #Business #Innovation #Energy #CleanEnergy #JustTransition #Justice40 #ClimateInvestments

HARC will be closed on Monday, September 2nd in honor of Labor Day. We will reopen on September 3rd.   #HARCresearch #LaborDay

HARC recently brought together all the partners from the Texas Solar for All Coalition for a workshop at HARC’s Living Lab Headquarters. It was a great opportunity to begin the work of providing solar to those communities that need it most across Texas. The Texas Solar for All Coalition was awarded a $249.7 million grant from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to help accelerate investments in low-income solar and storage, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, close the solar equity gap for energy-burdened low-income families, and create good green jobs in the Lone Star State. Led by Harris County, the full coalition includes HARC, the City of Houston, Dallas County, City of San Antonio, Opportunity Home, City of Austin, City of Waco, Texas Energy Poverty Institute, Clean Energy Fund of Texas, and several more local and county Texan partners, representatives, and community-based organizations. To learn more about the Texas Solar for All Coalition, visit bit.ly/47aIPTx #HARCresearch #SolarForAll #Texas #SolarEquity

Changing lives through vision and leadership. HARC’s President and CEO, John Hall, has been recognized for changing over 3,000 lives since 1991 through the Annual Mickey Leland Environmental Internship Program (MLEIP). The Mickey Leland Environmental Internship Program is a nationally recognized program that prepares undergraduate and graduate students in Texas for the next step in their career journey through a paid, full-time summer internship either at Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, other state agencies, county and city governments, or in the private sector in Texas. It was created in honor of the memory and legacy of U.S. Congressman Mickey Leland. Founded by Mr. Hall, the program began at the Texas Water Commission, the predecessor to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, in partnership with the Texas Water Development Board, the Texas General Land office, the Texas Chemical Council, the Texas Council of the American Electronics Association, and private corporations. In the spirit of Congressman Leland, Mr. Hall envisioned a world where rising leaders, primarily women and minorities from underserved communities, would be exposed to environmental stewardship and learn meaningful skills needed to launch their careers and enact positive change. From this bold vision, the MLEIP has developed and grown to serve three generations of talented students by bridging the gap between their college life and career journey. At the annual conference, the Mickey Leland Environmental Internship Corporation board recognized Mr. Hall’s leadership and presented him with an autographed copy of King: A Life for creating a program that has endured the test of time and has borne so much fruit for Texas and beyond. To learn more about Mr. John Hall, visit bit.ly/JLHall To learn more about the MLEIP, visit bit.ly/4dZdB3V #HARCresearch #Environment #Internship #MakingAnImpact

“At camp, they have taught me a lot about being a leader, mathematics and how to challenge myself and be in a group of people with diversity.” - Christopher, 18. Christopher was one of over 500 students from grades 8-12 who joined us from around the world for our recent STEM Camps at Rice University. We were also honored to host special guests Brad Crabtree, Assistant Secretary of the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management and John Hall, President & CEO of HARC | Houston Advanced Research Center. Thanks to the continued support from ExxonMobil Pipeline Company and our dedicated partners, we are inspiring the next generation of STEM leaders. Here's to more excellence and equity in STEM education! #STEM #CCS #RiceTapiaCenter #RiceUniversity #RiceSchoolofEngineering

The Coastal Resilience and Adaptation Conference will be having three topic areas: 1)Early Warning Systems for Coastal Hazards 2)Coastal Energy Transition 3)Natural and Nature-Based Solutions How familiar are you with these topics? If you want to learn more keep an eye out and join us on September 18 & 19! Register here: tx.ag/CRAConference

Thanks to the dedicated community scientists and HARC | Houston Advanced Research Center , we’ve mapped out the hottest areas in #HCPrecinct4. By creating this vital data, we can now target these hotspots and work to bring temperatures down, planting trees and cooling our neighborhoods. Together, we covered over 3,400 miles in the largest single-day heat mapping campaign in the U.S.! 🌳🌡️ #HeatMapping