Cool Pavements

Reflective Surfaces for Hot Cities (Solution Type)

Global (widely applicable)

Highlight

High-reflectance or water-retaining pavements that lower surface temperatures and reduce urban heat.

Extended description

Cool pavements use lighter-coloured, reflective, permeable or water-retaining materials to absorb less solar heat than conventional dark asphalt. By lowering pavement surface temperatures, they can reduce heat exposure and contribute to mitigating the urban heat-island effect, especially when combined with trees and shade. Their performance depends on climate and material, but they can be deployed incrementally during street renewal.