Lighten Up Blog

Heat affects nearly every aspect of urban life. This forum is dedicated to better understanding how cooling cities down makes them healthier, happier, more prosperous, and more climate-friendly places to be.

Announcing the Rosenfeld Urban Cooling Achievement Award

Posted by gcca on March 13, 2017

The Global Cool Cities Alliance (GCCA) has established an award to honor the legacy and impact of Dr. Arthur Rosenfeld’s advocacy for cooler buildings, cooler cities, and a cooler planet. Dr. Rosenfeld was a founder of GCCA and a tireless advocate for building materials that improve thermal comfort and make a positive impact on global  Read More…

Without Cool and Green Surfaces, Cities Leave Billions of Dollars on the Table

Posted by gcca on December 7, 2016

We have known for a long time that smarter roof choices significantly improve cities and the people who live and work in them. This new report from Washington DC’s municipal government and Capital E quantifies the benefits cool, green, and solar roofs make in efficiency, air quality, health, stormwater, urban heat reduction and shows that  Read More…

President’s Climate Preparedness Task Force Releases Recommondations

Posted by gcca on November 18, 2016

Yesterday, the White House State, Local, and Tribal Leaders Task Force On Climate Preparedness and Resilience released their recommendations to improve climate adaptation and resiliency planning for cities and states around the country.  Climate Central spells out what’s in the report, and notes the panel’s interest in collecting data to pinpoint needs and challenges: The  Read More…

New Thinking on Cool Roofs in Cool Climates

Posted by gcca on October 19, 2016

I wrote an article for Roofing Magazine’s September/October edition that examines some of the new research that is toppling the myth that cool roofs are not suitable in cool climates.  You can check it out over at their website.  I focus on two studies in the article, but these two are only the latest analyses  Read More…

Keeping Surfaces Stronger and Longer Lasting with Reflectivity

Posted by gcca on March 2, 2016

It is well-known that surfaces that stay cooler do not expand and contract as much as those that get hotter. Reduced thermal expansion can mean longer lasting roofs, solar panels, concrete, and other surfaces. Coatings manufacturer Epox-Z’s recent press release highlights a new product that minimizes thermal cracking — a major cause of concrete failure.  Read More…