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Heat Island Effect

Newsroom Archive

December 2011

November 2011

October 2011

September 2011

  • Predicting Urban Heat Island Effects from SpaceExit EPA Disclaimer (September 29, 2011) – A new study by the European Space Agency suggests that satellite sensors can be used to detect urban heat island effects before they actually form.

  • Cool Roof Legislation Adds Jobs, Saves EnergyExit EPA Disclaimer (September 26, 2011) – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland and Senator Mike Crapo of Idaho are co-sponsoring the Energy-Efficient Cool Roof Jobs Act, which could mean thousands of new jobs and energy savings nationwide.

  • Can Your Green Roof Survive a Hurricane (September 26, 2011) – The experience of New York City electric utility Con Edison suggests that a well planned green roof is no more vulnerable to high winds and heavy rains than any other.

  • Repeated Droughts Taking Toll on MidstateExit EPA Disclaimer (September 18, 2011) – Repeated droughts in Macon, Georgia, are making older trees in the city more susceptible to diseases and insects. As these large trees drop out of the landscape, the heat island effect worsens.

  • Public Housing in Bellingham, WA Gets Green Roof, Solar PanelsExit EPA Disclaimer (September 21, 2011) – A high-rise public housing building gets a green roof as part of a project to make the building more water- and energy-efficient.

  • Central Park Dentistry in Mason City, Iowa Gets Green RoofExit EPA Disclaimer (September 20, 2011) – The green roof system offers 30 percent better cooling efficiency than a traditional roof and 10 percent more insulation, and will make the roof last three to four times longer.

August 2011

  • Green Roof Finished at Mazzoli Federal Building, KentuckyExit EPA Disclaimer (August 26, 2011) – The largest green roof in the state of Kentucky, totaling almost 27,000 square feet, was completed as part of a project to improve sustainability of the building.

  • A Bronx High School Tests Integrated Green Roof TechnologiesExit EPA Disclaimer (August 23, 2011) – Researchers from Columbia University partner with high school students to explore how solar panels and green roofs work together to regulate temperatures and improve efficiency.

  • Volunteers Paint the Town WhiteExit EPA Disclaimer (August 22, 2011) – Volunteers in New York City  painted 35,000 square feet of affordable low-income rooftops with reflective white paint, which will help to cool the buildings and generate significant energy savings.

  • Using Mist to Cool Down Urban Heat IslandExit EPA Disclaimer (August 17, 2011) – Osaka City Waterworks Bureau is experimenting a new cooling method – using mist shot out from nozzles installed on top of buildings along the street.

July 2011

June 2011

May 2011

April 2011

March 2011

February 2011

January 2011

December 2010

November 2010

October 2010

September 2010

  • EPA, DC Showcase Recovery Act Funded Green Roof (September 29, 2010) – A green roof on top of the World Wildlife Fund headquarters was funded in part by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

  • Forest Service Releases National Report on Urban ForestsExit EPA Disclaimer (September 29, 2010) – The USDA Forest Service recently released a new report entitled “Sustaining America's Urban Trees and Forests”, which provides an overview of the current status and benefits of America’s urban forests, compares differences in urban forest canopy cover among regions, and presents challenges facing urban forests and their management.

  • New rule: Builders must save more treesExit EPA Disclaimer (September 28, 2010) – Charlotte’s City Council approved changes to its tree ordinance that will increase the number of trees that must be saved in commercial development and apartment complexes.

  • Homeowners use rooftop gardens to raise energy efficiencyExit EPA Disclaimer (September 26, 2010) – Some enthusiasts of eco-friendly living have transformed the roofs of their homes into green oases, creating “vegetative” or “green” roofs.

  • City of Seattle wants more eco-friendly ‘green roofs’Exit EPA Disclaimer (September 23, 2010) – Seattle city leaders released a report that inventoried the City’s 62 vegetated roofs, which cover the equivalent of nine football fields.

  • More than just a pretty roof: Ecoroofs save cashExit EPA Disclaimer (September 20, 2010 – Rooftop plants can save money, especially for businesses with large commercial buildings, because they can double the life of a roof and reduce energy and maintenance costs.

  • California Affordable Housing Community Sets New Standard for Sustainability, Urban DesignExit EPA Disclaimer (September 13, 2010) – The City of Buena Park, Calif., has approved an innovative multi-family, affordable housing community that utilizes a distinctive “green” roof and will be developed on a vacant infill site.

  • Sustainability is group’s taskExit EPA Disclaimer (September 10, 2010) – The Burbank Sustainability Task Force is organized into six priority groups - sustainable design, urban heat island effect, transportation, energy, zero waste, strategic communications.

  • Capturing heat islands in climate modelsExit EPA Disclaimer (September 9, 2010) – A team of scientists has incorporated urban areas into a global climate model; this development is important because most models used for predicting future climate change do not account for the urban “heat island” effect.

  • Emerald Cool Pavement Lowers Surface Heat of Asphalt in Phoenix SchoolsExit EPA Disclaimer (September 8, 2010) – Under the “Cool Schools Initiative” Emerald Cool Pavement is changing communities by donating labor and materials in the first “Solar Reflective Cool Pavement” offered for school playgrounds, beginning with the City of Scottsdale.

  • EPA selects communities for 2010 Greening America’s Capitals projectsExit EPA Disclaimer (September 8, 2010) – The U.S. EPA has selected five state capital cities to receive high-quality green development that includes cleaning up and recycling vacant lands, accessing and improving waterways, providing greater housing and transportation choices, and reducing infrastructure and energy costs.

  • Green Building: A Real Estate Revolution?Exit EPA Disclaimer (September 7, 2010) – Green building now accounts for nearly one-third of new construction in the U.S.

  • Green roofs redefine cooling plantExit EPA Disclaimer (September 1, 2010) – Researchers at Columbia University have demonstrated that a layer of plants and earth can cut the rate of heat absorption through the roof of a building in summer by 84%.

August 2010

July 2010

June 2010

May 2010

April 2010

March 2010

  • ‘Smart’ Roof Responds to Temperature, Saves EnergyExit EPA Disclaimer (March 22, 2010) – A new roof coating material made from cooking oil reflects the sun’s rays on hot days and absorbs the rays when it’s cold.

  • City studies green roof regulationsExit EPA Disclaimer (March 17, 2010) – Pittsburgh is considering legislation that would define a green roof and establish zoning height allowances for rooftop gardens.

  • County seeks Ohio EPA grant for green roofExit EPA Disclaimer (March 2, 2010) – Lake County Stormwater Management Department has applied to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency for a grant to pay for an environmentally-friendly way to resurface a portion of the county’s administration building.

February 2010

January 2010

December 2009

November 2009

  • Farm grows plants for 'green roofs'Exit EPA Disclaimer (November 29, 2009) – A local farm that grows plants for green roofs has seen as much as a 70 percent rise in sales in the past five years, reflecting a growing national interest in green roofs.

  • City Pursues Eco-InitiativesExit EPA Disclaimer (November 28, 2009) – The City of Beloit, Wisconsin began its environmentally friendly program when the City Council unanimously approved a resolution in December of 2007 adopting the Eco-Municipality Sustainable Guidelines for the city.

  • Report: AZ's 61% increase in CO2 is the nation's worstExit EPA Disclaimer (November 18, 2009) – A new report says that in the Southwest, temperatures have climbed faster than the national average in recent decades, partly due to global warming and partly due to the heat island effect.

  • The Rooftop Garden Climbs Down a WallExit EPA Disclaimer (November 18, 2009) – Some companies are installing edible walls to add to the benefits of vertical gardens by producing food.

  • Willis Tower looks to go green, from the rooftops on downExit EPA Disclaimer (November 1, 2009) – The Willis Tower in Chicago utilizes a green roof to lower energy costs and offset water runoff.

October 2009

September 2009

August 2009

July 2009

  • London ‘needs two million trees’Exit EPA Disclaimer (July 30, 2009) – An extra two million trees should be planted in London to combat rising temperatures, Mayor Boris Johnson’s environment plan has suggested.

  • White Roofs Catch on as Energy Cost CuttersExit EPA Disclaimer (July 30, 2009) – A white roof can cost as little as 15 percent more than its dark counterpart, depending on the materials used, while slashing electricity bills.

  • USPS Unveils NYC’s Biggest Green RoofExit EPA Disclaimer (July 27, 2009) – Aimed at saving energy and reducing pollution runoff, the U.S. Postal Service has unveiled its first and New York City’s largest green roof.

  • Look, Up in the Sky: Green RoofsExit EPA Disclaimer (July 27, 2009) – Baltimore is emerging as one of the nation’s greener roofed cities, with approximately 150,000 square feet added last year.

  • Paint the Town WhiteExit EPA Disclaimer (July 17, 2009) – Replacing dark roofing and pavement with lighter, more reflective materials could reduce temperatures in cities and offset significant quantities of carbon dioxide emissions.

  • Reflective Roof Paint Repels the HeatExit EPA Disclaimer (July 15, 2009) – Hyperseal paints can reduce the costs and energy needed for cooling by lowering the amount of heat a building absorbs from the sun.

June 2009

May 2009

  • Energy Chief Steven Chu Joins Phoenix Mayor’s Push for White RoofsExit EPA Disclaimer (May 27, 2009) – Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon and U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu are on the same page when it comes to reducing urban heat islands and energy consumption.

  • Obama’s Climate Guru: Paint Your Roof White!Exit EPA Disclaimer (May 27, 2009) – Steven Chu, U.S. Secretary of Energy, has encouraged making roofs and pavements white or light-colored to help reduce global warming by both conserving energy and reflecting sunlight back into space.

  • Toronto Adopts “Green Roof” RequirementsExit EPA Disclaimer (May 27, 2009) – Toronto’s city council passed a new bylaw setting minimum “green roof” requirements on all classes of new buildings.

  • Looking at Europe’s Green WaysExit EPA Disclaimer (May 24, 2009) – U.S. leaders are looking abroad for guidance in developing green building and energy saving techniques such as green roofs.

  • Greening BaseballExit EPA Disclaimer (May 22, 2009) – Various Major League Baseball stadiums are taking steps to reduce energy consumption, extend recycling efforts, and take the first steps into renewable energy.

  • U.S. Green Roof Industry Grows By 35 Percent in 2008 (PDF) (1p, 33k)Exit EPA Disclaimer (May 20, 2009) – Green Roofs for Healthy Cities conducted a survey of green roofs projects which indicates a U.S. growth rate of more than 35 percent over 2007, representing more than 3.1 million square feet installed in 2008.

  • Council to Consider New Tree RulesExit EPA Disclaimer (May 14, 2009) – The Austin City Council is considering proposed rules that would require tree plantings and preservation.

  • Cities to Sizzle as Islands of HeatExit EPA Disclaimer (May 10, 2009) – London and other cities could see summer temperatures rise to more than 10°C above those in the surrounding countryside, according to research being used to help devise the first official climate change map of Britain.

April 2009

March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
  • Green Roof a Part of Airport Wish ListExit EPA Disclaimer (January 31, 2009) – Port Columbus International Airport in Ohio is seeking funding to support the construction of a green roof.

  • Road Builders Compete For Slice Of StimulusExit EPA Disclaimer (January 30, 2009) – In competing for funding from the economic stimulus package, the concrete industry argues that their material provides benefits such as reduced ambient temperatures.

  • DEP Grant Funds Largest Green Roof in the StateExit EPA Disclaimer(January 28, 2009) – Florida's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) awarded a $1.4 million Urban BMP Research and Demonstration grant to Escambia County to assist with the construction of a green roof as well and a pervious pavement parking lot.

  • Far from Tar: Ecoroofs Take Root in PortlandExit EPA Disclaimer (January 20, 2009) – Green roofs are spreading in Portland, Oregon, in part due to local legislation and incentives which encourage the use of vegetation in urban areas.

  • Rooftop Gardens Start to Grow on Local ResidentsExit EPA Disclaimer (January 19, 2009) – Green roof and rooftop garden projects have increased in the Memphis, Tennessee area.

  • Chandler to Finish First ‘Green’ Building in OctoberExit EPA Disclaimer (January 16, 2009) – The City of Chandler, Arizona, will open its new fire administration headquarters in October, which incorporates various green building principles, including cool roofs.

  • Is Your Community Planning for Trees?Exit EPA Disclaimer (January 15, 2009) – The American Planning Association has released a report, “Planning the Urban Forest: Ecology, Economy, and Community Development”, the result of a three year study on the impacts and benefits of urban forests.

  • Urban Heat IslandExit EPA Disclaimer (January 13, 2009) – A satellite image of the Twin Cities in Minnesota shows the warmer temperatures surrounding the urban areas.

  • Cities are Key Culprits in Weather ShiftsExit EPA Disclaimer (January 11, 2009) – Phoenix, the host of American Meteorological Society Annual Conference, provides an example of how urban areas influence local weather.

  • Dallas Launches Unique Tree Planting on Skillman Road MediansExit EPA Disclaimer (January 8, 2009) – Dallas’ Urban Forest Advisory Committee (UFAC) encourages neighborhoods to adopt street medians to plant trees which shade Dallas roadways to combat the urban heat island effect.

  • Roof of City Hall May be Covered in GrassExit EPA Disclaimer (January 7, 2009) – The city hall in Dayton, Ohio, is exploring the installation of a green roof in a stormwater pollution reduction effort.
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