In 2011, New York tried a simple way to beat peak summer heat by painting rooftops white; here’s how it helped cool cities

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1. Sun, 9 August 2026

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   • indiatimes.com04:45first to report
     In 2011, New York tried a simple way to beat peak summer heat by painting rooftops white; here’s how it helped cool cities

     In a proactive initiative starting in 2011, volunteers in New York City painted rooftops white to tackle the challenges of urban heat. This innovative approach effectively decreased the absorption of sunlight, resulting in cooler indoor environments. By lowering indoor temperatures and minimizing air conditioning use, the widespread implementation of white roofs holds the potential to significantly reduce both neighborhood heat and overall energy consumption.