Leuven researchers show way forward in heatwaves

A large portion of the impact of heatwaves can be avoided by making certain changes to materials used, most notably the use of so-called cool roofs, which reflect solar rays rather than absorbing them. According to KU Leuven, this solution alone could have prevented up to a quarter of heat-related deaths during a July 2019 heatwave. 

Roofs can be made cool by, for example, applying a special coating or making the tiles white. When applied on a large scale, say on a neighbourhood scale, it can drastically reduce the impact of the heat. “You can compare it to the difference between wearing a black or white T-shirt in the sun,” says researcher Fien Serras of KU Leuven. “The white T-shirt clearly stays cooler. The same principle applies to roofs, but with an impact on the entire city.” Additional trees and parks also make a significant difference according to the research, but more so in cooling things down at night rather than during the day. 

A very important bit of research, as heatwaves become an increasingly frequent part of our reality. If you’ll forgive us the pun: KU Leuven is so hot right now.