Urban Heat Island Mitigation Can Improve New York City’s Environment: Research on the Impacts of Mitigation Strategies

Green “living” roofs and “cool” highly reflective roofs are building technologies that may offer solutions to mitigate the problems of the urban heat island effect.  Focusing on why these particular techniques may be incorporated into strategies for urban heat island mitigation, this paper reviews research assessing their environmental impacts, and discusses the effects of these "smart" rooftops on ambient air temperatures, energy use, and air quality.  A brief review of cost‐benefit analyses of these strategies is included, providing an initial insight into why urban heat island mitigation should be encouraged in New York City.

Publication Date: October 2008

Authors or Affiliated Users:

• Joyce Klein Rosenthal
• Rob Crauderuff
• Majora Carter

Related Organizations:

• Sustainable South Bronx

Sectors:

• Urban
• Energy
• Land use and built environment
• Public health

Resource Category:

• Solutions

Resource Types:

• Best practice
• Case study

States Affected:

• New York

Impacts:

• Heat waves
• Air quality
• Air temperature

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