Atlanta city council adopts cool roof ordninance to cool neighboorhoods, save money, and save lives
Atlanta becomes a national leader in smart surface policy with new cool roof ordinance
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Atlanta becomes a national leader in smart surface policy with new cool roof ordinance 〰️
June 2, 2025 - On June 2nd, the Atlanta City Council passed a landmark cool roof ordinance — a major win for urban heat resilience. The policy is projected to cool the city by 2.4°F in peak summer, reduce over 1,000 metric tons of air pollution, deliver $310 million in direct energy savings, and generate $760 million in net financial benefits. The Smart Surfaces Coalition played a key supporting role by introducing the concept to the Council Member’s office, providing legal and technical input, modeling the ordinance’s projected impacts, and helping to engage a broad network of partners who shared data and insights throughout the legislative process.
With the passage of City of Atlanta Ordinance 25-O-1310, Atlanta becomes a national leader in smart surface policy by requiring new roofs to meet high solar reflectance standards, an evidence-based strategy to cool neighborhoods, save money, and save lives. The ordinance amends the City of Atlanta building code to add a new section for roofing reflectance standards to reduce heat produced by darker roofing materials.
Council member Bakhtiari authored the ordinance to protect the city's most vulnerable neighborhoods by reducing ambient temperatures, lowering energy costs, and preventing carbon admissions emissions, saving lives.
"This decisive action is about one thing: Responsibility. Responsibility to our residents, to our most vulnerable neighbors, and future generations. This legislation is not just about roofs; it's about resilience. It's about protecting health, reducing energy burdens, and standing up for communities that have been overlooked for far too long. Atlanta is not just talking about climate justice; we're delivering it." - Council Member Bakhtiari
"The Cool Roof Ordinance builds on Atlanta’s strong record of policies that enhance livability and promote public health, resilience, and equity. This fiscally responsible and scientifically sound ordinance is a major milestone toward a cooler, healthier Atlanta." - Greg Kats, CEO of Smart Surfaces Coalition