Cool Roadways Partnership
The Cool Roadways Partnership (CRP) is a network of jurisdictions, organizations, researchers, and manufacturers that are collaborating to achieve scaled deployment of cool roadway and pavement options as a key strategy to manage rising urban temperatures & build heat resilient communities. The CRP meets quarterly to share progress and learn from current projects and programs. Join us by registering for our next meeting here!
Objectives
The CRP is a convening space for participants to communicate the increasing need for cool roadways, to stay up to date on technological progress, and to support efforts to incorporate cool pavement into standard operating practices.
The CRP works with manufacturers to assess the cool roadway solutions that are currently available and to encourage development of new solutions through a Request for Information process.
CRP’s priority is to increase the number and variety of cool roadway demonstrations to help overcome barriers to their widespread use and to accelerate the availability of high-performance and cost-effective solutions.
CRP’s long-term goal is to establish procurement specification standards that cities can adopt and for cool roadways to ultimately be embedded in state and local roadwork policies.
CRP Participants include
24 U.S. cities and counting
Urban Sustainability Directors Network
Cool Roof Rating Council
Climate Resolve
Trust for Public Land
National League of Cities
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Cool Roadway Projects & Programs
CRP Background
The Smart Surfaces Coalition raised funding from the JPB Foundation for SSC partners to expand urban Smart Surfaces adoption, including working with multiple cities to launch a program of adopting reflective road and parking lot resurfacing. The Global Cool Cities Alliance (GCCA) was one of SSC’s partners for whom SSC raised funds to manage the Cool Roadways Partnership (CRP). SSC is delighted to continue this important work as of October 2023. Additional CRP resources can still be found on GCCA’s website.
FAQs
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Cool pavement refers to a range of emerging technologies that reduce surface and nearby air temperatures, either by increasing the amount of solar energy reflected by the surface, or making the surface permeable to water to cool by evaporation.
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Cool pavements reduce surface temperatures by 5-20°F. Air temperature reductions are possible when cool pavements are installed at scale.
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Cool pavements are more durable, reduce street lighting needs and improve nighttime visibility, and lower the temperature of stormwater runoff. When installed at scale, cool pavements can reduce demand for electricity and air conditioning, and improve air quality by reducing ozone formation
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Material costs vary widely, ranging from under $4 to approximately $20 per square yard.
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Curing times vary by product and weather conditions, but can be anywhere from under an hour to a little over a day– very similar to traditional products.
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While cool roofs and white roofs are used interchangeably, the same is not true for pavements. Most cool pavements are medium to light gray in color — similar to a fresh concrete sidewalk. Glare is rarely, if ever, a complaint.
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Energy benefits and costs of cooler pavements depend on the scale, siting, and location of implementation but is generally positive. An analysis conducted by Akbari et al. (2001) for Los Angeles estimated that energy and environmental savings alone are about $0.36 per square meter.
Downloadable Cool Roadways Fact Sheet
For further inquiries about the Cool Roadways Partnership, contact Iona at i.isachsen@smartsurfacescoalition.org