Planting Trees and Painting Roads White Could Cool Cities by 20°C
In this article, researchers analyzed ways to cool down cities facing Urban Heat Islands (UHI). They looked into using lighter paved roads and planting trees on sidewalks to combat rising urban temperatures. Their simulations showed that using light-colored pavements can lower surface temperatures by up to 20°C. Additionally, planting short to medium trees in urban areas can reduce air temperatures by up to 3°C and surface temperatures by up to 11°C. These strategies show promising results in cooling urban areas and combating the heat island effect.