LIFE Heatland: Innovative pavement solution for the mitigation of the urban heat island effect
The LIFE HEATLAND project directly addresses urban adaptation to the consequences of climate change, in particular, it seeks to minimize the effect of the urban heat island (UHI) through the use of new pavements with less solar storage than conventional ones, which will contribute to a better quality of life and human well-being. The aim of the project is in line with the 'EU Adaptation Strategy', as it encourages the application of innovative adaptation technologies, such as more climate-resistant building materials.
The LIFE HEATLAND project will contribute at the same time to the mitigation of climate change, since the innovative solution reduces energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions associated with typical technologies in the urban environment: on the one hand, it will improve the coefficient performance (COP) of air conditioning and refrigeration devices, reducing their energy consumption. On the other hand, the new construction material used in urban paving will have a higher reflectance compared to conventional asphalt pavements and will also produce an improvement in night visibility, potentially reducing lighting requirements and thereby producing energy savings.