Innovative Tactics to Fight the Urban Heat Island Effect
Our urban built-up area is made up of materials that absorbs heat. The trapped heat caused a phenomenon called Urban Heat Island Effect that make our city’s temperature goes up. The Urban Heat Island Effect exacerbate the air pollution and threatens our health.
City of Los Angeles tried one unique method to lowers the impact of the heat in the city by painting the streets in grayish-white paint. This method lowers the local surface temperature up to 10 degrees cooler, by reflecting the heat from sunlight that may otherwise be absorbed by the black asphalt. Especially during the summer, cooler streets could mean not only better outdoor thermal comfort for the neighbourhood but also further prevent heat-related illness.
Reference
Capatides, C. (2018, April 9) Los Angeles is painting some of its streets white and the reasons why are pretty cool. CBS News.
Deaton, J. (2017, September 6) To guard against climate change, Loas Angeles is painting its streets white. Popular Science.
Holley, P. (2017, August 19) Why LA is coating its streets with material that hides planes from spy satellites. The Washington Post.
Picture from City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works Bureau of Street Services [@BSSLosAngeles]. (2017, May 21). Today Los Angeles became the first place in California to install a cool pavement treatment on a public street! Ten deg cooler on summer aft [Image attached] [Tweet]. Twitter.
