Pavement Albedo’s Impact on Urban Climate: Insights from MIT’s Concrete Sustainability Hub and a Case Study of Phoenix

Albedo measures the fraction of solar energy reflected by the Earth’s surface, with higher albedo (lighter) surfaces reflecting more energy than lower albedo (darker) surfaces. Pavements, being a major component of urban areas, significantly affect local and global climates through their albedo impacts. Using higher albedo concrete pavements can reduce the urban heat island effect, increase radiative forcing, improve vehicle fuel efficiency, and mitigate climate change. This paper provides an overview of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Concrete Sustainability Hub and the International Grooving and Grinding Association research findings on albedo and its impact on climate change, using Phoenix, Arizona, as a case study.