LowEmissionAsphalt-136pg-WhitePaper-May2023

P a g e | 88 Figure 57 – Temperatures Rising & Accelerating Rapidly Source: Berkeley Earth Conventional asphalt paving materials can reach peak summertime temperatures of 150°F 183 or more, transferring excess heat to the air above them and heating stormwater as it runs off the pavement into waterways, effecting watershed ecology. Pavements in urban centers can be as much as one-third of land cover in major cities. 184 As such, roadway systems play a critical role in environmental planning. Further, asphalt binder begins to experience exponential oxidation at as low as 70°F and hyper-photodegradation at 120°F. 185 Studies have shown that even modest improvement in asphalt temeperature can materially extend the service life of the asset. 186 Researchers at MIT 187 have concluded that lowering asphalt emissivity can have a materially positive effect on near road building electricity demand (BED) . So, there are many reasons UHI is becoming increasingly examined as it relates to paving products, techniques and best practices . 183 EPA Heat Island Reduction Program (HIRP): Using Cool Pavements . 184 Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Cool Pavements , www.heatisland.lbl.gov . 185 Hossain K and Karakas AS, Effect of Ultraviolet Aging on Rheological Properties of Asphalt Cement , Memorial University of Newfoundland and University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, June 2018. 186 EPA HIRP: Using Cool Pavements , www.epa.gov/heatislands . 187 Massachusetts Institute of Technology Concrete Sustainability Hub (CSHub).