Urban heat islands increase summer peak energy demand, airconditioning costs, air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, heatrelated illness and mortality, and water quality.
It’s easy to forget as temperatures in Chicago drastically drop, but anyone who goes outside on a sweltering hot summer day knows to dress in light colors so as to not attract heat. The same rationale lies in the federal Cool Roof grant program, which Mayor Daley just renewed for Chicago last week. It aims at installing white or reflective roofs in urban areas so as to reduce the Urban Heat Island effect and now also qualifies homeowners to a tax credit thanks to the Federal Stimulus Package.