On June 13, 2006, the Committee to Promote Cool Roofs (Tokyo Metropolitan Government) announced the "Cool-Roof Project" projects to be subsidized in fiscal 2006. A total of 9,834,500 yen (about U.S.$85,500) will be provided as subsidies for eight projects selected from applicants: two for rooftop greening and six for rooftop coating with high-reflective paints.

The Cool-Roof Project is a three-year program of the Tokyo Metropolitan government, conducted in seven of its wards. This project was initiated in 2005 as one of the countermeasures for global warming and the urban heat island problem, utilizing a national project to balance environmental protection and economic development, which is promoted by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment.

As one of the conditions for the buildings to be subsidized, 50 square meters or more should be covered with rooftop greening or coated with highly reflective paints in one of seven Tokyo wards: Chiyoda, Chuo, Minato, Shinjuku, Taito, Shinagawa and Meguro.

Prior to the project, the Metropolitan government conducted tests to demonstrate the effectiveness of planting rooftop greenery and applying high-reflective coatings as measures to combat global warming and the urban heat island effect. When the surface of a concrete rooftop registered about 60 degrees Celsius, the greened rooftop was about 35 degrees Celsius, a reduction of about 25 degrees in surface temperature. When a concrete surface without coating was about 62 degrees Celsius, the coated rooftop was about 47 degrees Celsius, down by 15 degrees.


- Environment/Economy Harmonization Projects in 2nd Year (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/db/1343-e

Posted: 2006/08/02 10:41:30 AM
Japanese version

TAG Global warming , Local government , Technology