Cooler paving materials for heat-island mitigation
Many cities suffer summer daytime temperatures greater than their suburban or rural surroundings. One of the causes of this heat island phenomenon is the absorption of sunlight by dark pavements. In warm climates, the urban heating damages the environment by adding to air-conditioning demand and creating smog. If urban roads, driveways and walkways were paved with light colored, and consequently cooler, materials these penalties would be diminished. However, lighter materials may cost more than the usual asphalt materials, In this report, the dollar value of potential air conditioning and smog savings from lighter pavements is estimated, and compared to the extra cost of such roads. The extra cost is minimized if the lighter-colored coating is applied as a thin layer when normal maintenance is performed. The authors find that, in Los Angeles, increasing the albedo from 0.1 to 0.35, could produce an air-conditioning saving of $$0.012/m{sub 2}-yr. and smog savings of about $$0.06/m{sub 2}-yr. The present value of these savings, for the 5 year lifetime of the resurfacing, is about 5 times the annual saving, or about $0.36/m{sub 2}. (The particular climate and smog problem clearly influence this result.) Thus one could purchase a cooler material whose extra cost is this amount, with no net expense. If roads are cooler they may also last longer and thus save money.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Berkeley National Lab., CA (US)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; Environmental Protection Agency
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC03-76SF00098
- OSTI ID:
- 20006373
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-980815-; TRN: IM200007%%429
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 1998 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings, Pacific Grove, CA (US), 08/23/1998--08/28/1998; Other Information: 10 volume set available for $200.00; PBD: 1998; Related Information: In: 1998 ACEEE summer study on energy efficiency in buildings: Proceedings, [3100] pages.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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