Human-made hardscapes—such as roadways, parking lots, and buildings — retain more heat during the day than natural landscapes. Because of this, their surrounding nightly temperatures can remain as much as 10 degrees Fahrenheit higher as the structures release that heat into the cooler night air. To combat this phenomenon — commonly referred to as the urban heat island effect—the cities of Los Angeles and Phoenix are coating asphalt roadways with reflective sealants to reduce their ability to absorb heat during the day, thus lessening the amount of heat released at night.
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