Chapter 01 · Climate & transitionEnergy & Transition
Cool pavement
Definition
Cool pavements are road and pavement surfaces designed to remain cooler than conventional dark asphalt, either through higher solar reflectance (lighter colours or reflective coatings), evaporative cooling (permeable materials that hold water), or enhanced thermal properties. The US EPA reports conventional asphalt can reach around 152°F (67°C) in summer, while cool pavements can run 10–16°F cooler; no single official standard yet governs the category.
References
types, temperature data
reflectance/emittance metrics
Overview
What it means
A surface-level intervention against the urban heat-island effect that also reduces stormwater temperature and can extend pavement life.
How it is used
Municipalities trial reflective coatings and permeable pavements in heat-vulnerable neighbourhoods; performance is characterised by solar reflectance and thermal emittance on 0–1 scales.
Why it matters
Extreme urban heat is a growing public-health risk; cool pavements are a scalable adaptation measure, though trade-offs (glare, reflected heat onto pedestrians) remain under study.