On Point | Podcast What are 'cool roofs,' and how do they work?
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Aug 6, 2025 Join Brian Stone, Director of the Urban Climate Lab at Georgia Tech, and Atlanta City Council member Liliana Bakhtiari as they delve into the innovative solutions to combat rising summer temperatures. They discuss Atlanta's pioneering cool roof ordinance and its role in mitigating the urban heat island effect. The conversation highlights how cool roofs enhance energy efficiency and work alongside solar panels. They also tackle the economic aspects of adopting new roofing technologies, emphasizing the need for collaboration and funding to ensure inclusion in climate initiatives.
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Atlanta Roof Heat Anecdote
- Atlanta's roof temperatures can reach up to 150 degrees in summer, greatly heating surrounding areas.
- CNN's experiment showed crayons melting on a white rooftop at 116 degrees, demonstrating heat intensity.
Roof Color Impacts Heat
- Roof color and material reflectance significantly affect heat absorption and transfer into homes and the environment.
- Dark roofs absorb and emit more heat, increasing heat inside buildings and urban areas.
Urban Heat Island Effect
- Heat from urban roofs and paved surfaces raises city temperatures, creating an urban heat island effect.
- Downtown Atlanta can be up to 15 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than surrounding rural areas.
