Expanding our Heat Resilience data to 50+ global cities

We’re releasing an expanded dataset of building-level rooftop reflectivity covering 50+ global cities to help urban planners implement cool-roof solutions and mitigate extreme heat. This dataset is being made accessible through a new high-resolution Heat Resilience Earth Engine App.

Approximately 500,000 deaths every year are attributed to extreme heat, a crisis intensified by the urban heat island effect, which causes metropolitan areas to warm at double the worldwide average. Earlier this month, record-breaking heat waves across Western Europe pushed temperatures past 40°C (104°F). The prevalence of heat-trapping materials, like dark pavements and roofs, combined with a lack of vegetation, largely drives this localized warming. Heat mitigation measures are critical to reducing this toll, and cool roofs offer a highly cost-effective solution. By increasing rooftop reflectivity (albedo), we can significantly reduce the amount of solar energy absorbed by buildings, ultimately lowering local surface temperatures and protecting vulnerable communities.

To address this, Google Research is building AI-driven tools to help lower city temperatures and keep communities safe. By applying AI to high-resolution satellite and aerial imagery, our Heat Resilience tools help cities quantify the impact of targeted cooling interventions. In 2024, we piloted this approach with 14 cities, providing them with rooftop reflectivity data to identify highly vulnerable neighborhoods and determine where cool roofs would yield the greatest temperature reductions. This data guided critical decisions across several cities, resulting in initiatives such as cool roof ordinances and adaptation plans.

Our approach

Heat Resilience Earth Engine App

To make this data accessible to decision-makers, we have launched a Heat Resilience Earth Engine App. This platform provides high-resolution rooftop albedo (reflectivity) data to empower proactive municipal planning.

The app features: