Albedo Online

The albedo of Earth varies significantly based on the color and texture of its surfaces: High Albedo:

Cities are "heat islands" because asphalt and dark roofing tiles have low albedo. Cities can be 1–3°C hotter than surrounding rural areas. To combat this, cities like Los Angeles and Tokyo are mandating "cool roofs" painted white or coated with reflective elastomeric materials. Studies show that raising a roof's albedo from 0.20 to 0.70 can reduce peak cooling demand by 10–20%. Albedo