To Beat the Heat, L.A. Mandates Cool Roofs
In case you haven't heard, L.A. gets a lot of sun. While this is great for getting a tan, it presents a challenge for mitigating the heat island effect and rising temperatures. New legislation requires that the roofs of new homes help beat the heat.
"On Tuesday the Los Angeles City Council unanimously passed a building code update that will require all new and refurbished homes to have cool roofs, which use sunlight-reflecting materials," reports Ari Phillips. "Los Angeles is the first major city to require such a measure, which was pushed for by the local organization Climate Resolve."
According to Climate Resolve, the landmark ordinance will help the city:
- become more resilient and healthier on hot days
- reduce heat related hospitalizations
- improve air quality by reducing the formation of ozone
- inoculate against power outages
- reduce homeowners electricity bills
- reduce greenhouse gas emissions
- provide a more pleasant home environment
Published on Wednesday, December 18, 2013 in
- A Famous Former Planning Director and the 'War on Cars'
- The Ancient Roots of New Urbanism
- Nice Try, Sharrows
- The Uses Of Urban Theory
- Op-Ed: Downtown Denver's Homogenous Renaissance
- Harvard Housing Report: Housing Market Still Short-Changing Renters, Young Americans
- Friday Funny: A New Hand Signal for Begging Drivers Not to Kill
- Light Rail Recommended for the San Fernando Valley
- 40 Years of Prop 13
- Industry Report: Regulations Add 30 Percent to Multi-Family Development Costs
- Massive Waterfront Investment 'Reinvents' Tampa
- When Pennsylvania's 'Right to Farm' Means Living With the Pigs Next Door
- Even in the Pacific Northwest, Developments Conflict With Water
- Rent Control Falls Short of the Ballot in Multiple California Cities
- Scooter War Now a Scooter Competition
- Plans for Immigrant 'Detention Centers' Revealed at Military Sites Around the U.S.
- When Gentrification Follows Transit Oriented Development
- Tampa to Orlando High Speed Rail Back on the Table
- Studies: Drivers Far More Distracted Than Walkers
- Did the Supreme Court End the 'Retail Apocalypse'?
