ASU professor creating app to show routes on campus with the most shade

TEMPE, Ariz. (KSAZ) - As the sunbeams down on the ASU campus, students do what they can do to avoid it.

Most are trying to find whatever shade they can and others use umbrellas to avoid the sun rays.

"Mainly, I'm concerned for my skin, but it also kind of gives you protection from the heat," said Arlyn Moreno, a student.

ASU Climatologist, Professor Ariane Middel, is now testing for the coolest route to help these students out. She's been using a temperature cart to track the areas with the most shade.

"It measures the radiation that hits the body from all different directions and that's a proxy for thermal comfort. So it basically measures how comfortable you feel in the outdoors if you're in the shade, in the sun, over grass or various locations," said Middel.

Middel has been busy mapping the entire campus. She hopes to put all of her information together and create an app.

The app will tell students and staff what route will be the coolest day and night.

"And the coolest route will also change throughout the day because the shade travels, so one morning it might be most comfortable on one side of the building and then in the afternoon it might be most comfortable on the other side of the building because of the sun," said Middel.

Students and staff we spoke to say they would definitely use this app for some much needed relief from the heat.

"Tuesday was what? 120 degrees. The shade, even if it knocks it down 5, 10 degrees, just walking in the shade, it helps a lot. It gets you out of the sun," said Josh, an ASU student.

Middel is also looking at other areas and hopes to make recommendations to the city of places they can add shade with trees or fabric to make people more comfortable.