An August 3 article by Randolph Kirchain, codirector of the MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub, and Hessam Azarijafari, a postdoctoral associate at the Hub, published by The Boston Globe outlines how cool pavements can play a role in fighting climate change, particularly in Boston. Citing CSHub research, it discussed how the implementation of cool pavements across the city would lower peak summer air temperatures by 3°F while reducing the city’s emissions by 1-3%.
Moreover, it mentioned how use phase impacts, including those from better road quality due to cool paving surfaces like concrete, contribute to these overall emissions reductions. Ultimately, it argued that to fight extreme heat, Boston should look beyond conventional cooling strategies and also consider paving with ‘cooler’ materials.
National Ready Mixed Concrete Association