“Heat Island”
Sounds great eh? It's probably somewhere near the Bahamas. Maybe south of Aruba. Or is it the island that the plane crashed into on the TV show, “LOST– ? Nope. Heat islands are in New York, Chicago, Seattle, Dallas, Beijing, and– ¦ you get the picture. The Environmental Protection Agency defines a heat island as:
urban air and surface temperatures that are higher than nearby rural areas. Many U.S. cities and suburbs have air temperatures up to 10°F warmer than the surrounding natural land cover.
- A lack of trees and other vegetation reduces shading and evapotranspiration.
- Tall, crowded buildings heat air trapped between them and reduce air flow.
- Vehicles, factories, and air conditioners add waste heat to the area.
While there is no direct link between urban heat islands and global warming, the two phenomenon can have a pile-on effect. An extra ten degrees in the summer can be uncomfortable at best or even potentially fatal in many cities. The increased heat leads to significantly greater use of air conditioning, and consequently more energy. Plus, trees consume carbon dioxide and, let's face it, they're nicer to look at than a concrete slab.
So how can we tackle this fullback-sized problem? City-dwellers can, of course, plant trees if they have land to do so. But the most effective way to help is to use reflective (light colored) or porous materials when paving or roofing your building. Separate studies done by the Florida Solar Energy Center and the Heat Island Group found that buildings that had roofs with these materials used up to 40 percent less energy for summertime cooling than similar buildings with darker roofs.
So next time you see that waterspot on the ceiling and realize that it's time to call the roofer again, ask about these reflective options. Even if you don't live in the city it'll save you energy and money and do something nice for the environment. Oh, and plant a tree. It’s almost Arbor day for crying out loud.
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