Columbia Engineering built a pigment-free paint filled with microscopic air pores; it stayed 6°C below surrounding air during hot desert tests in ArizonaResearchers at Columbia University and Purdue University have unveiled an experimental paint-like coating that can cool surfaces to tempera...
Phoenix swapped black asphalt for a reflective road coating; noon surface heat fell 12°F, but pedestrians faced higher radiant heatIn an effort to lower urban heat, Phoenix tested innovative reflective pavement coatings on its roads, revealing that treated asphalt kept ...
32,600 used tires did not go to a landfill. Instead, Michigan turned them into a 1.15-mile road in Clare County that can also reduce traffic noise. The next target is Detroit roadsMichigan is turning discarded tires into road-building material, with 32,600 passenger tire equivalents reused on a 1.15-mile stretch of Ha...
In 2012, Maryland's Greensboro launched 2 projects to curb stormwater flooding. 9 years later, its firehouse gained permeable pavers and step pools, helping reduce pollutants reaching the riverGreensboro, Maryland, has successfully implemented modern stormwater control practices, improving water quality. These projects, funded by ...
In 2019, Buffalo scientists coated aluminum film with a cooling polymer; a small prototype cooled an enclosed box by 11°F by day and 20°F at nightScientists have engineered a cost-effective film utilizing aluminum foil combined with a polymer layer. This innovative film actively cools...
In 2021, RMIT tested shredded face masks with recycled concrete for road bases; 1 kilometer could use 3 million masks and divert 93 tonnes from landfillEngineers from Australia have introduced an innovative strategy for converting used face masks into construction materials for roads. This ...
Scientists tested reflective pavement through an Australian summer, and the road surface stayed cooler, but midday radiant heat increased above itA western Sydney trial revealed reflective roads cool surfaces but raise pedestrian temperatures. This study tracked the trade-off over a y...
Phoenix coated 36 miles of black asphalt with reflective coating to fight extreme heat. Road temperature dropped by 12°F, but pedestrians found a surprising side effectTo tackle the oppressive heat, Phoenix pioneered the use of lighter-toned roads, which successfully reduced surface temperatures significan...
Americans discard about 15 million tons of asphalt roof shingles a year, but old roofs can be ground up and put straight back into the roads people drive onMillions of tons of asphalt shingles are disposed of annually in the United States. These old roofing materials can be processed into recyc...
Philadelphia painted black pavement with a light-coloured coating to fight extreme heat. A year later, researchers found one clear differenceTo tackle urban heat island effects, Philadelphia is trialing cool pavement solutions. In Hunting Park, a reflective light-colored coating ...
In 1901, a Stanford graduate accidentally found mysterious bones in California. His discovery helped reveal a lost world of 600 ancient speciesIn a fascinating turn of events, geologist William Warren Orcutt uncovered ancient animal bones within asphalt deposits, revealing a captiv...
Europe turned railway tracks white during extreme heat; the low-cost solution tackles a problem hidden in the steelEuropean transport systems are grappling with the impact of rising extreme heatwaves. To combat this, railway tracks are being coated in wh...
In July 2019, scientists watched mayflies mistake solar-like glass for water; females landed and deposited eggs on the dry surfaceFemale mayflies are confusing solar panels for water surfaces, which is causing difficulties with their reproduction. This issue, termed po...
Over 2 years, across Miami-Dade, more than 9,000 trees reveal a hidden journey of heat: Mature canopies can pull temperatures down by 10°F, turning scorching streets into cooler urban spaces for residentsTrees offer significant cooling benefits to urban areas. FIU researchers found that tree canopy coverage can reduce temperatures by ten deg...
A road in Surrey could soon send its summer heat 100 metres beneath the surface, store it underground and bring it back during winter, turning geothermal energy into a defense against potholesWhat if roads could store summer heat and use it to prevent winter damage? A University of Surrey trial is exploring exactly that. Its geot...
Morocco swapped scorching black asphalt for porous “sponge” pavement; the experimental surface ran up to 16°F cooler, offering cities a surprising new way to beat urban heatMorocco is testing permeable “sponge” pavement in selected urban areas of Marrakech and Agadir as cities look for ways to manage extreme he...
In 2019, scientists tested a diaper-like superabsorbent polymer in lab-made asphalt samples; the water-storing material cooled the specimens by up to 12°CResearchers from China have pioneered a groundbreaking asphalt composite integrated with superabsorbent polymers aimed at cooling city envi...