Two U.S. cities have received grants from Bloomberg Philanthropies that will be used to paint city roofs with energy saving reflective paint, reducing carbon emissions by a combined 110 tonnes.
Phoenix, Arizona received a $100,000 grant which will partly be used to paint 70,000 square feet of city roof surface, while Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, were granted the same amount and will be painting 50,000 square feet of roof area.
The paint will act like another layer of insulation, reflecting heat in the summer, with Phoenix expected to save 60 metric tonnes of emissions and Pittsburgh 50, along with the savings on utility costs.
Pittsburgh will paint the roofs on 10 city-owned buildings, which will play a major role in the city’s attempt to save over $700,000 annually in energy costs for city buildings.
Bloomberg Philanthropies provides grants through its Cities of Service program, made up of a bipartisan coalition of mayors. They have granted almost $1 million through this round of grants to 18 cities and are expected to grant another $1 million next year.
