HOUSTON – Recruited community street scientist volunteers will embark on a 300-square-mile effort Friday to measure and map urban heat in the region, officials said. Right around when temperatures tend to hit their peak in Houston and Harris County, nearly 80 community scientists will take to the streets with specially-designed thermal sensors attached to their cars or bicycles. This community science endeavor is led by the Houston Harris Heat Action Team (H3AT), a collaboration between The Nature Conservancy of Texas (TNC), Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC), the City of Houston, and Harris County Public Health (HCPH), and in partnership with Lowe’s and Shell. Officials say Houston and Harris County are currently facing a number of climate resilience and health challenges, and one of the most overlooked issues is urban heat. The project volunteers will cover 32 mapping areas, or “polygons,” that each represents a 10-square mile area.