A Berkeley Lab study compared two Fresno homes for a year; the reflective tile roof ran 13.8°C cooler on a summer day, cut cooling electricity by 26%, and peak demand by 37%In Fresno, California, a comparative analysis of two houses revealed the advantages of reflective tile roofing. The home adorned with this ...
08 Sep, 2026, 06.40 PM IST
AT&T painted two Nevada telecom roofs white; roof surfaces cooled 35–40°F, reached 12°F below outdoor air, and two buildings saved about 0.5 kWh of electricity a dayA study explored how white roofs reduced energy costs for AT&T communication buildings. Researchers observed significant roof surface tempe...
08 Sep, 2026, 06.30 PM IST
Putting a plastic bottle filled with water on your roof: 30+ countries use this unusual trick; here’s what it does and how to use it correctlyPutting a plastic bottle filled with water on your roof: The Moser lamp is a simple invention that uses sunlight to brighten dark indoor sp...
07 Sep, 2026, 06.53 PM IST
In 1991, researchers coated a Merritt Island home’s green-gray shingle roof with reflective material; the shingles reached about 110°F after treatmentDark roofs tend to soak up heat from the sun, resulting in higher air conditioning demands and costs. Utilizing reflective roofing material...
07 Sep, 2026, 01.10 PM IST
In St. Paul, Penfield added a vegetated roof over a conventional membrane; monitoring found the green-roof membrane peaked about 51°F cooler than the conventional roofResearch reveals that green roofs maintain lower temperatures compared to conventional roofs, leading to significant reductions in cooling ...
07 Sep, 2026, 01.00 PM IST
Irvine coated a half-mile stretch of two connected streets with cool pavement; August and September measurements found the treated asphalt ran about 7-10°F coolerCities worldwide are turning to cool pavement technologies to tackle urban heat. In Irvine, California, treated roads have experienced a re...
06 Sep, 2026, 01.10 PM IST
Since 2016, San Antonio has replaced dark roofs on low-income homes with reflective shingles; the program was linked to lower attic temperatures and electricity useSan Antonio has launched an innovative project to replace traditional dark roofs with energy-efficient reflective roofing. This initiative ...
06 Sep, 2026, 12.39 PM IST
In 1996, Florida researchers whitened 7 shops in a Cocoa strip mall; roof surfaces fell by as much as 70°F, cooling energy dropped 25.3%, and peak demand dropped 40.3%In an innovative Florida trial, it was found that white roofs significantly decreased heat levels and energy usage. Traditionally, unpainte...
06 Sep, 2026, 12.30 PM IST
In 2001, researchers tested a white roof on a large Austin retail store; the study reported lower roof temperatures and an 11% reduction in cooling energy useA 2001 study in Austin demonstrated that white roofs lowered building temperatures significantly. This change reduced air conditioning ener...
05 Sep, 2026, 01.40 PM IST
In 2018, a University of Hawaii study compared green and white roofs in Honolulu; the green roof was reported to have lower peak temperatures at the surface and nearby airA University of Hawaii graduate student tested green roofs against white ones. The green roof proved significantly cooler than the adjacent...
04 Sep, 2026, 02.00 PM IST
In 2011, GSA’s Chicago Federal Center joined the green challenge with 6,700 workers. 1 year later, an HVAC overhaul cut natural gas use 25% and saved $140,000 that yearThe Chicago Federal Center found a practical way to reduce energy use. GSA upgraded its HVAC system across the large federal complex. The c...
02 Sep, 2026, 07.04 PM IST
In 1892, engineers began the Chicago Canal to divert sewage using 42 million cubic yards of earth; more than a century later, it may help Asian carp reach the Great LakesIn 1885, Chicago undertook the monumental task of reversing its river flow to safeguard drinking water by rerouting sewage from Lake Michig...
02 Sep, 2026, 03.30 PM IST
In 2012, Chicago’s Railroad Retirement Board found new life for 3,200 pounds of electronics through reuse and recycling; the effort lifted waste diversion nearly 10%The U.S. Railroad Retirement Board successfully recycled over 3,200 pounds of electronic waste. This achievement was driven by federal prog...
01 Sep, 2026, 10.30 PM IST
In 2021, Berkeley Lab made a roof coating that switches at 67°C. Today, it beats existing coatings in 12 of 15 US climate zones, cutting household electricity use 10%Installing TARC could help the average U.S. household reduce electricity consumption by up to 10 percent annually. Another advantage of TAR...
01 Sep, 2026, 08.31 PM IST
City University of Hong Kong built a radiative-cooling ceramic tile reflecting 99.6% of sunlight; field tests found it about 5°C cooler than standard tilesResearchers developed a new ceramic tile inspired by beetles. This tile reflects 99.6% of sunlight and releases absorbed heat effectively. ...
01 Sep, 2026, 06.50 PM IST
In 1870, a New York millionaire secretly built a 300-foot underground railway. Decades before the city's modern subway network took shape, people forgot it existedLong before New York City’s modern subway system opened in 1904, a millionaire had already built a secret underground railway beneath Broad...
31 Aug, 2026, 09.43 PM IST
Argonne modeled Chicago’s August 2021 heatwave with different roof types; white roofs lowered air temperature by nearly 2°C and cooling energy use by 16.6%Transforming the rooftops of Chicago into cooler surfaces has led to a notable reduction in city temperatures. The use of white cool roofs ...
25 Aug, 2026, 06.40 PM IST