Exhibition Catalog
Climate Transition Archive
March 2075
Gallery One: Phoenix Thermal Management
Object 47.2024.AC
Carrier Infinity 21 Central Air Conditioning System
- Location: Martinez residence, Phoenix, Arizona
- Installed: March 2024
- Specifications: 3-ton capacity, SEER2 rating 21, R454B refrigerant
- Installation cost: $18,400
- Donated by: Estate of Robert Martinez, 2029
White metal housing, about three feet square. Compressor, condenser coils, fan assembly. I've cataloged forty-seven of these Carrier Infinity systems.
Phoenix recorded 113 consecutive days at or above 100°F in 2024. This unit operated four summers. Monthly operating cost during peak season: $240-$280. Robert Martinez was 63 when he had it installed. He died of heat stroke in his home in July 2028. The AC was running.
Wall Text:
In 2024, Maricopa County documented 602 heat-related deaths. Air conditioning units were present in 88% of indoor fatalities. In 70% of those cases, the units weren't working.
The 2025 refrigerant transition from R410A to R454B increased equipment costs approximately 25%. High-efficiency systems like this one—SEER2 rating 21, well above the Phoenix minimum of 15—cost more but promised lower operating expenses. Installation required ductwork modification, electrical upgrades, and smart thermostat integration. Total project timeline: three days. Expected lifespan: fifteen years.
Conservation Note:
Moderate corrosion on exterior housing consistent with four years of operation in extreme heat. Compressor seized; internal components show thermal stress fracturing. Fan blades intact. Refrigerant lines were purged prior to donation per EPA regulations. Object shows evidence of regular professional maintenance—filter housing contains documentation of quarterly service calls through June 2028.
Acquisition Information:
Gift of the estate of Robert Martinez, November 2029. The donor's daughter requested we preserve the service records. She said her father had done everything right.
Gallery Two. The impact window is mounted on the east wall, backlit to show the laminated glass layers. Visitors touch the frame sometimes. Security doesn't stop them.
Gallery Two: Miami Storm Hardening
Object 63.2025.IW
Impact Window Assembly
- Location: Herrera residence, Little Havana, Miami-Dade County, Florida
- Installed: January 2025
- Dimensions: 48" × 72", laminated glass, aluminum frame
- Wind resistance: 150 mph
- Installation cost: $1,200 per window (12 windows total: $14,400)
- Insurance premium reduction: 18%
- Gift of: Herrera family, 2031
One of twelve windows installed under Florida's My Safe Florida Home program, which provided up to $10,000 in grants for hurricane hardening. The homeowner paid $4,400 out of pocket. The windows were rated for Category 5 hurricane wind speeds.
The home was abandoned in 2029 following three consecutive years of flood insurance premium increases exceeding 40% annually. Final annual premium: $18,200.
Conservation Note:
Minor corrosion along frame seal, consistent with saltwater exposure during king tide events. Laminated glass intact, no delamination. Frame shows installation date stamp and Miami-Dade County HVHZ (High Velocity Hurricane Zone) certification sticker.
Gallery Three: Louisiana Elevation Systems
Object 81.2024.EL
Unified Hydraulic Jacking System
- Location: Cameron Parish, Louisiana
- Manufactured: 2024
- Capacity: 45 tons, elevation range: 8-12 feet
- Project cost: $0 (federally funded)
- Donated by: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2041
The Corps identified approximately 3,900 homes at severe flood risk in Cameron, Calcasieu, and Vermilion parishes in 2016. Beginning in 2023, eligible residents were offered free elevation, fully covered by federal funding through cost-sharing between the Corps and Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority.
By late 2025, one home had been elevated, with two more under construction.
I've read the surveys. People said they didn't believe the government would finish what it started.
Preservation Status:
Recovered from Cameron Parish in 2041 during systematic documentation of abandoned coastal infrastructure. Heavy rust damage to hydraulic cylinders. Structural frame intact. Hydraulic fluid drained for safety. Control panel removed and cataloged separately (Object 81.2024.CP).
Supplementary Documentation
| Program | Proposed | Completed | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Dade County Elevation | 2,100 structures | <400 structures | Discontinued 2032 |
| Miami-Dade Storm Surge Protection | $2.7 billion plan | ~$700 million allocated for elevations | Program incomplete |
Exhibition Hours:
Tuesday-Sunday, 10am-4pm
Next Exhibition:
"Managed Retreat: The Architecture of Departure, 2025-2035"
Opening Fall 2075
The Climate Transition Archive preserves and interprets the material culture of climate adaptation. This exhibition was made possible through the Climate Transition Documentation Initiative.
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Phoenix Heat Respite Network: The city operates a 24/7 Heat Respite and Navigation Center at 20 W. Jackson Street throughout the entire heat season, providing cooling, water, and navigation services for people experiencing homelessness.
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Australia's brutal summer: Victoria recorded a new statewide maximum temperature of 48.9°C (120°F) in January 2026, with over 400,000 hectares burned in fires that followed the extreme heat.
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Climate Cafés emerge: Many communities now hold "Climate Cafés" as safe spaces where people gather just to talk about how they feel about climate change, without trying to fix anything.
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Insurance crisis deepens: U.S. homeowners spent $21 billion more on homeowners insurance in 2024 than in 2021, with Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warning that some regions may become unmortgageable within 10-15 years.