A recent study by a National Center for Atmospheric Research scientist has found evidence to suggest that to stabilize the climatic differences between city center temperatures compared to rural, is to paint buildings roofs white.
This simple yet very effective practice can help reduce the city’s temperature by 1 degree Fahrenheit. For every degree, this helps keep the climate for that city and indeed surrounding area at a more even kilter.
Keith Oleson, the lead scientist and author of the study said, “In theory, our research has shown an effective method of slowing urban heat”. This urban heat is exacerbated by the solid concrete blocks, roads and buildings, which absorb heat, making the ambient temperature rise and thus having a detrimental affect on the climate.
By painting roofs white, as is very popular in Europe particularly Spain and Greece, you allow the sun’s infrared light to pass through the roof insulation. By having white roofs, the urban heat island effect, as it is know, could be reduced by a 1/3 having a positive effect of reducing city’s temperatures. The trial is being tested in cities such as Washington D.C and Seattle, where during the summer months, the temperatures can rise to much higher levels than that of their rural neighbors.
US Energy Secretary Steven Chu is said to be backing the idea and wants the idea rolled out in more major cities throughout the USA. As the rate of greenhouse gases being expelled is still rising, this simple amendment can negate some of the intensity of the damaging affects.
By painting roofs white, this would reduce the world’s cities temperatures by around 0.7 degree Fahrenheit (or 0.4 degrees Celcius) which would bring the pronounced heat of city life down during the summer months especially. In a bid to do everything and anything to slow the rising temperature of the world’s temperature, painting you roof white seems to be one of the easiest.
