White paint that reduces the temperature on a roof and the building beneath it(nytimes.com)
nytimes.com
White paint that reduces the temperature on a roof and the building beneath it
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/12/climate/white-paint-climate-cooling.html
3 comments
Using white paint that reduces the temperature on a roof and the building beneath it is a brilliant and innovative approach to tackle the urban heat island effect. This energy-efficient solution helps reflect sunlight away, significantly lowering the heat absorbed by the roof and subsequently reducing indoor temperatures. It not only benefits the building's occupants with a more comfortable living environment but also contributes to energy conservation and environmental sustainability. Implementing such eco-friendly practices can pave the way for more climate-conscious solutions in urban planning and construction.
Increasing surface albedo looks like a no brainer to deal with high temperatures. I read this article about an hour after an afternoon bike ride in the hills near my house. The road was boiling hot in the sun but about 15 degrees cooler in the shade. We should be trying to reduce albedo on every structure or road we build.
White paint is good. Special maybe-toxic (mentioned in the article) white paint to reflect 98% instead of 85% is not necessarily a great idea, though. If it's substantially more expensive, and it surely will be, you could do more good with your money by simply using more normal white paint.