A study from a prestigious university in London, UK, found that painting the roof of a house white can actually reduce temperature and cool down the house. This can even lower the city’s temperature by up to 0.8°C.
Research from the University of Exeter and University College London found that white roofs on buildings can effectively reduce heat and save hundreds of lives from heat-related illnesses during the summer of 2018. From June to August 2018, the average temperature during that period was around 19.2°C, which was 1.6°C higher than the annual average. However, painting rooftops white in London helped reduce the city’s temperature by approximately 0.8°C.
Dr. Charles Simpson, the lead researcher, revealed that if this method is widely adopted, cool-colored roofs will help lower the ground-level air temperature in cities. The cooling effect could potentially save lives and improve the quality of life for residents.
In addition to changing roofs to white, installing solar panels on rooftops can also help. Research found that installing solar panels, regardless of their color, can reduce city temperatures by approximately 0.3°C while also generating electricity.
Why do light-colored, cool roofs work?
Finding ways to reduce heat in large cities is crucial, as most people live in urban areas. However, the summer of 2018, considered the hottest in the UK, was soon surpassed by even hotter summers in subsequent years. The most recent summer of 2024 set new heat records, surpassing 2023’s summer temperatures.
The UK is considered one of the most vulnerable countries as 83% of the population lives in urban areas, and the urban environment—buildings, roads, and infrastructure—tends to absorb more heat than natural landscapes, causing urban areas to become hotter.
White roofs are commonly found in hot countries, such as in southern Europe and North Africa, because light-colored roofs absorb less heat from the sun compared to dark-colored roofs. This helps cool the city down, reducing both the city’s and building’s internal temperatures.
Source: EURONEWS
