Aninnovation boom is coming in the construction sector: more commercial investment in construction materials and design for passive survivability measures to serve communities. Some of these solutions are pilots , but others are scaled versions of commercially proven solutions which were originally contemplated for dwellings and smaller spaces of community infrastructure. Of interest is that these solutions have been in theoretical and proof of concept phase for over two decades: commercial application at scale seems to be very recent, and likely brought on by the urgent need for climate adaptability solutions. The market responded, but probably not fast enough. We need to do more. Heat islands themselves were identified as a problem by the EPA in 2008 - some of the community heat island studies described below however, are happening only in recent years (2017 +).
Urgency Explained. Extreme heat is a serious issue in places like Texas and heat stroke death is reported on regularly in recent summers. A particular problem in urban areas are hot spots called “heat islands.” In 2017 Dallas and other cities (Salt Lake City, Oklahoma City and Sedona also participating) began a heat island study, which showed that “industrial-commercial areas had more concentrated heat during the day” and "[n]eighborhoods with more asphalt and cement get hotter because those materials trap heat.” [WFAA]. Mitigating this condition and reducing degrees in heat island areas is a life-and-death issue for some, and a critical welfare objective for city governments as a whole. (Dallas expanded its heat island study this year).
A Dallas’ ‘cool pavement’ pilot has shown a “10-degree difference on the streets where it was installed in Dallas District 13. Typically this is a sealant with a higher albedo number, which increases the reflective capacity of the surface to push off heat absorption from solar radiation. Dallas Morning News reports that “the definition of cool pavement has expanded to include surfaces that use evaporation to help cool the air, materials that alter surface effectiveness in emitting energy and other technologies that can be applied to help it stay cooler than conventional asphalt.” (This all reminds me of why people wear white in the desert to curb solar radiation). San Antonio started their Cool Pavement Program in 2021. San Antonio has worked with a few different providers like SealMaster (testing asphalt roads vs. concrete with different formulae). Dallas is working with Oxcon Systems.
CoolSealcalls itself the “only cool pavement sealcoat on the market that offers a fully green alternative to polymer-based coats…ultra-high-performance sealcoat is designed to reflect the sun and lower asphalt surface temperatures by 10-20 F to mitigate heat warming effects and enhance the comfort and well-being of communities.” Their website showcases their business growth, which started as pilots, in Los Angeles and Phoenix.
Cool pavement is one of several areas in which urban heat island mitigation innovation is needed. Other areas of opportunity include, courtesy the EPA:
I thought it was cool to spot a Texas House member on X educating his district about the Dallas pilot. There’s much more to the story, and much more markets can do to barrel forward on innovating solutions for public works and community living. The age of pilots should be long over when it comes to climate change investment.
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Commercial Innovation Focus: Passive Survivability in Construction to Combat Extreme Heat
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An innovation boom is coming in the construction sector: more commercial investment in construction materials and design for passive survivability measures to serve communities. Some of these solutions are pilots , but others are scaled versions of commercially proven solutions which were originally contemplated for dwellings and smaller spaces of community infrastructure. Of interest is that these solutions have been in theoretical and proof of concept phase for over two decades: commercial application at scale seems to be very recent, and likely brought on by the urgent need for climate adaptability solutions. The market responded, but probably not fast enough. We need to do more. Heat islands themselves were identified as a problem by the EPA in 2008 - some of the community heat island studies described below however, are happening only in recent years (2017 +).
Urgency Explained. Extreme heat is a serious issue in places like Texas and heat stroke death is reported on regularly in recent summers. A particular problem in urban areas are hot spots called “heat islands.” In 2017 Dallas and other cities (Salt Lake City, Oklahoma City and Sedona also participating) began a heat island study, which showed that “industrial-commercial areas had more concentrated heat during the day” and "[n]eighborhoods with more asphalt and cement get hotter because those materials trap heat.” [WFAA]. Mitigating this condition and reducing degrees in heat island areas is a life-and-death issue for some, and a critical welfare objective for city governments as a whole. (Dallas expanded its heat island study this year).
A Dallas’ ‘cool pavement’ pilot has shown a “10-degree difference on the streets where it was installed in Dallas District 13. Typically this is a sealant with a higher albedo number, which increases the reflective capacity of the surface to push off heat absorption from solar radiation. Dallas Morning News reports that “the definition of cool pavement has expanded to include surfaces that use evaporation to help cool the air, materials that alter surface effectiveness in emitting energy and other technologies that can be applied to help it stay cooler than conventional asphalt.” (This all reminds me of why people wear white in the desert to curb solar radiation). San Antonio started their Cool Pavement Program in 2021. San Antonio has worked with a few different providers like SealMaster (testing asphalt roads vs. concrete with different formulae). Dallas is working with Oxcon Systems.
CoolSeal calls itself the “only cool pavement sealcoat on the market that offers a fully green alternative to polymer-based coats…ultra-high-performance sealcoat is designed to reflect the sun and lower asphalt surface temperatures by 10-20 F to mitigate heat warming effects and enhance the comfort and well-being of communities.” Their website showcases their business growth, which started as pilots, in Los Angeles and Phoenix.
Cool pavement is one of several areas in which urban heat island mitigation innovation is needed. Other areas of opportunity include, courtesy the EPA:
Trees and Vegetation
Green Roofs
Cool Roofs
Cool Pavements
Misc. Heat Island Reduction Activities
I thought it was cool to spot a Texas House member on X educating his district about the Dallas pilot. There’s much more to the story, and much more markets can do to barrel forward on innovating solutions for public works and community living. The age of pilots should be long over when it comes to climate change investment.