’Cool Walls’ Get a Boost from U.S. Green Building Council

Berkeley Lab research helps city-cooling measure get test integration with LEED rating system. White buildings stand along an alley in Los Angeles, California. Light-colored paints can help reflect sunlight, helping to cool cities and fight the urban heat island effect. (Credit: iStock) Sunlight-reflecting "cool walls" have been shown to reduce energy costs by lowering heat gain in buildings. But they do more - reflective walls can also cool cities, fighting the urban heat island effect. The concept has new support from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), which has issued a pilot credit for the installation of cool exterior walls in new homes, schools, and commercial buildings to mitigate urban heat islands. With the pilot credit, this is a test integration for cool walls into the USGBC's Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design ( LEED ) ratings for buildings.