Cooler reflective pavements give benefits beyond energy savings : Durability and Illumination

City streets are usually paved with asphalt concrete because this material gives good service and is relatively inexpensive to construct and maintain. We show that making asphalt pavements cooler, by increasing theirreflection ofsunlight, may lead to longer lifetime ofthe pavement, lower initial costs ofthe asphalt binder, and savings on street lighting and signs. Excessive glare due to the whiter surface is not likely to be a problem