Reflective roof colors reduce roof temperatures, internal building temperatures, the Urban Heat Island Effect , and carbon emissions; improve air quality; and extend the lifespan of rooftops and HVAC equipment. This project, conducted by John Hocknell, a student at Hunter College, uses machine learning to detect these cool and warm rooftops, and use that information to assess potential energy savings.
This work is inspired by the NYC CoolRoofs Initiative to reduce NYC’s carbon footprint by painting rooftops white.