Paving materials and the urban climate.

Pavements typically comprise 30 to 45 percent of the land area in major cities and contribute significantly to the urban heat island (UHI) effect, through low reflection of solar radiation and high levels of thermal storage. The Transportation Research Board (TRB) Design and Construction Group has established a Paving Materials and the Urban Climate Subcommittee to address the influence of pavements in the formation and mitigation of the UHI and to examine the relationship of pavements to broader climate concerns. The subcommittee's scope includes modeling, design practices, testing, standards development, and planning and policy considerations.