The City of Athens on Sunday covered a road in the capital’s center with an innovative white material that reduces the heat from the sun hitting the asphalt.

The material called CoolSeal is similar to paint and it deflects the sun rays, thereby reducing the heat on the asphalt pavement. The reflective asphalt coating is specially designed to improve climatic conditions and has recently been used in Los Angeles with success.

Work crews covered the road on Sunday since the stores were closed and there was less traffic.

During the testing of CoolSeal, measurements will be taken to assess its effectiveness in a real urban environment. This will be done under the supervision of the Laboratory of General and Agricultural Meteorology of the Agricultural University of Athens and the Laboratory of Climatology and Atmospheric Environment of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.

The pilot application of the material will be extended to two other streets. The results will lead to safe conclusions about the best possible applications of these new “green” infrastructures in Athens.

Source: Philip Chrysopoulos/greekreporter