Everything You Need to Know About the Cool Roadways Partnership
Making Strides to Reduce the Urban Heat Island Effect in Communities that Need it Most
At Pavement Surface Coatings, we are proud sponsors of the Cool Roadways Partnership established by the Global Cool Cities Alliance. We believe their mission to address the impacts of rising urban temperatures aligns directly with our own. In addition to creating high-performing, long-lasting road surface coatings, we also strive to offer solutions that reduce roadways’ contributions to rising heat levels. Learn More about the Cool Roadways Partnership
Why Do Cool Cities Matter?
During warm months, temperatures rise in urban areas far more than in suburban and rural regions. This impacts the quality of life for cities’ residents in far more ways than one.
Cool Cities Are More Livable
Put simply: cool cities are comfortable to live in. Pedestrians can enjoy a pleasant walking experience and more people are inclined to spend time outdoors rather than inside.
Cool Cities Keep People Safe
According to the Centers for Disease Control, an average of over 700 people died each year from heat-related illness between 2004 and 2018. Rising temperatures in urban areas put vulnerable people directly at risk of developing a heat-related illness. By cooling roadways, a great majority of that excess heat can be reduced and potentially save residents from this avoidable risk.
Cool Cities Waste Less Energy
When temperatures rise to unpleasantly hot levels, people turn on their air conditioning more frequently and retreat inside. This also results in additional energy use as people will likely engage with more electronics indoors, such as televisions and kitchen appliances. With a more walkable city, people can engage in other activities outside that do not consume as much energy.
Cool Roadways Last Longer
With the right surface treatment, roadways can remain cooler and resist the effects of weather damage. In turn, this extends the lifespan of the roadway, reduces the frequency of maintenance projects, and generates exponential long-term savings for municipal governments.
How Do Roadways Contribute to Rising Urban Temperatures?
Traditional roadway pavement is the single largest source of heat in urban environments and accounts for approximately one-third of a city’s surface area. Without more innovative solutions to treat these areas, temperatures continue to rise, which results in excess energy consumption and potential health hazards.
Urban roadways can record summertime temperatures of over 120 degrees Fahrenheit/50 degrees Celsius. This heat then rises into the air and affects those living in these cities.
It’s Not Just Humans that Are Affected
Though we’ve established these rising temperatures do create hardships for human residents of cities, they also can affect other aspects of the surrounding environment, such as:
- Increased prevalence of airborne pollutants
- Higher rate of harmful greenhouse gas emissions
- Increased chances of water contamination
- Heat-related health risks to animal and plant life
Taking the Fight Against Heat to the Streets
At Pavement Surface Coatings, we are proud manufacturers of Endurablend. Endurablend is polymer-modified cement overlay designed to both prolong the lifespan of your paved surfaces and better reflect solar heat.
Endurablend features light-colored pigments that can reduce heat absorption and re-emission in urban areas. Your municipal government can choose one or multiple colors to not only help reduce the impact of rising temperatures but to add colorful designs that bring the city to life and make going outside fun for everyone!
Find an Endurablend Installer Near Your City
We are continuously expanding our global network of authorized Endurablend installers. If you are interested in using Endurablend to combat rising urban temperatures in your city, view our current team of installers on our map. Don’t see one near you? Contact us any time for more information.