This L.A. neighborhood's 'cool pavements' help it beat the intense heat
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The first cool pavements were laid down in July 2022 across 10 city blocks most frequented by children and seniors, including a basketball court and elementary school playground. The second phase of the project extended the cool pavements by eight more blocks.
The next phase will test cool roofing, with GAF retrofitting a few homes and more to come if the test is successful. Future phases may include more tree planting and the installation of solar shingles on homes and businesses.
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A year after the first cool pavements were installed, researchers found the new surfaces had had a significant impact on reducing surface temperature. On sunny days, there was an overall 10-degree reduction in surface temperature and a 2-degree reduction in ambient temperature, meaning the air feels cooler closer to the ground. On extremely hot days, there was an average air temperature reduction of 3.5 degrees. One of the more surprising effects was that an area close to where the pavements were laid also felt a minor cooling effect due to prevailing winds.
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Melanie Paola Torres, organizing manager at the women-led nonprofit Pacoima Beautiful, which has worked on the project, said she and her colleagues have heard positive feedback while canvassing the neighborhood to help educate and involve the community in their plans. Some residents weren’t aware what “heat stress” is and how it affects the body, and were excited about the changes. One mom told Torres that the soles of her feet didn’t burn from the heat after the cool pavements were laid down at the park.
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