Cities are hotter than their suburban cousins, that’s a fact. And the main culprit is pavement and asphalt. Bitumen, a petroleum-based product, is naturally black and is used in the creation of asphalt as a binder. The result is that roughly 95 percent of solar radiation that falls on asphalt is absorbed and released during the cooler evenings – maintaining a higher average temperature in areas with more asphalt.

White surfaces have been proven to absorb at least 85 percent less heat, reflecting it back into space.

Thee are over 4 million miles of roadways in America, most of which are made with asphalt (roughly 85 percent).

 

Brendan O'Connor

Editor in Chief of Bungalower.com

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