Paler pavement to cool our cities?

The City of Sydney is conducting a trial to explore the potential for light-coloured pavement to reduce temperatures in surrounding areas.

The ‘urban heat island effect’ means cities are often a few degrees warmer than regional areas due to surfaces such as roads, footpaths and buildings absorbing heat from the sun. Lord Mayor Clover Moore noted that temperatures in Sydney are expected to rise in coming decades due to the city’s growth and the effects of climate change.

Lighter-coloured pavements may be one solution to reduce this effect. As explained by sustainability expert Michael Mobbs, “Materials such as concrete and cement store more heat than natural surfaces, absorbing it during the day and releasing it at night, which can contribute to hotter urban areas.”

“Black-coloured roads and a lack of tree cover can increase the heat of our cities by up to eight degrees,” he continued. “Lighter coloured pavements may result in lower energy bills for surrounding buildings.”

The City’s trial will record temperatures across different locations in Chippendale, including a 600 m² section of Myrtle Street. The composition of the new section of road will include open grade asphalt pavement that will be filled with concrete slurry, providing a lighter texture to the pavement.

Over coming months, monitoring equipment will determine whether or not there is a reduction in ambient temperate along the paler pavement.