Smart surface solutions can improve disaster resilience, health and comfort in cities

A cost/benefit analysis by clean energy advisory and venture capital firm Capital E suggests that implementing smart surface solutions in major cities would have multiple resilience and health benefits as well as save money.

Smart surfaces include green roofs, solar panels, permeable pavement, and reflective pavement. The report, “Delivering Urban Resilience,” focused on three cities: El Paso, Texas, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC.

Over 40 years, the three cities would reap savings of $3.6 billion in Philadelphia; $1.8 billion in Washington, D.C.; and $538 million in El Paso. These figures would be realized after factoring in smart surface installation and operational costs.

Smart surfaces would reduce the urban heat island effect, making cities cooler and reducing health threats such as heat stroke and smog during heat waves.