Photo: Tom Fisk | Pexels
Both asphalt and concrete absorb andretain a significant amount of heat. Cities, where the two are found in substantial amounts, can beup to 10 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than neighboring suburbs or rural areas. But research suggests this'urban heat island effect' could be mitigated with green roofs; that is, rooftops covered with greenery. NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) in New York partnered with Chicago's Public Health and Planning and Development departments to study three sites with green roofs -- Millennium Park, City Hall, and a Walmart shopping center. They found that, compared with nearby buildings without green rooftops, there was a decrease in temperature between 1990 and 2011. The study authors are hopeful their research might be used by city planners in other regions which may not have access to such data.
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