Architectural Coatings as a Tool for Combating Heat Islands

By Audrey McGarrell, Cool Roof Council, Stacey Weister, Cool Roof Council

Heat is the leading weather-related cause of human mortality, surpassing hurricanes, tornadoes, lightning, and blizzards. The impacts of heat are intensified by the urban heat island (UHI) effect, which occurs when cities are hotter than surrounding rural and suburban areas. Architectural coatings can play an important role in UHI mitigation by reflecting solar radiation rather than absorbing it. By efficiently reflecting sunlight and emitting absorbed heat, cool exterior walls maintain a lower surface temperature, improve occupant comfort and safety, and reduce the demand for air conditioning, which decreases the building’s contribution to peak demand, greenhouse gas emissions, and the UHI effect.