Effect of Albedo on surface temperature of concrete interlocking paving blocks in mitigating urban heat islands

Abstract

Out of the environmental impacts of anthropogenic activities and urbanization, urban heat island effect (UHEE) is considered most prominent and is identified to have many socio-economic implications, such as; deterioration of living environment, increased energy demand, elevation of ground level ozone and smog - events, adverse health conditions and even increase in mortality rates. The progressive replacement 6{f f natural environment is identified as a major cause of UHIE. Pavements are identified as a countermeasure to reduce urban heat, whereas this paper evaluates how existing pavements can be modified tiding surface treatments and how much a reduction of urban heat can be expected from that using surface energy balance model. Experimental measurements were taken of different coloured (albedo) pavers, and how it affects the ® surface temperature of the installations. It was identified that lighter coloured surfaces are cooler than conventional dark pavements; hence albedo can be used in countering the effects of UHL However, considerations have to be made about the decrease in surface albedo with traffic and weathering of pavers., This study was limited to surface thermal properties of concrete interlocking pavement blocks in tropical +1 climate conditions, which can be used in green building design and construction projects in Sri Lanka.