How to avoid the heat island effect

Keys to avoiding/mitigating urban heat islands:

  • Keep roofs a lighter color (building codes, paint. An environmental impact assessment is needed to compare the net effects of painting with leaving as is.[expansion needed])
  • Keep roads a lighter color - choosing a lighter color of bitumen or concrete (provided it's not so bright that it causes excessive glare for drivers).
  • Higher, multi-level buildings, interspersed with green areas, rather than low rise sprawl with a majority of hard surfaces. This is also preferable in terms of water permeability (see also Permeable pavements) avoiding excess stormwater runoff, and thus having better groundwater recharge.)
  • Vegetation covering most of the land surface
  • Green roofs - provided the extra weight doesn't mean excessive embedded energy.
  • Green walls


See also

  • wikipedia:Urban heat island
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