What are 'cool roofs,' and how do they work?

On Point | Podcast

WBUR

Talk Show, Daily News, News, Npr, On Point, Daily

4.2 • 3.5K Ratings

🗓️ 6 August 2025

⏱️ 46 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Summers are getting hotter every year. When it comes to adapting to a hotter planet, in the United States, it's cities that are taking the lead. In Atlanta, they've passed a nation-leading "cool roof ordinance."

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	WBR Podcasts, Boston.
0:09.4	This is on point. I'm Magna Chakra-Bardi.
0:12.6	Well, Atlanta, we really wanted to start the show today with a quip about how hot, how really hot it is in Georgia right now.
0:20.4	That typical hot, that humid,
0:22.8	steamy southern summer. But today, as far as I can see, it's kind of nice in Atlanta,
0:29.8	temperate in the 80s, maybe some rain in the forecast for the weekend as far as we can see,
0:35.8	and I hope that doesn't mean flooding. Definitely hope that does not mean flooding.
0:39.4	But overall, it seems it's kind of out of the ordinary for sure because August 6th of last year,
0:48.3	in Atlanta, there was a high temperature of 93 degrees.
0:52.2	In 2023, it was 96.
0:56.3	Let's take you back a little further. Ten years ago in 2015, Atlanta spiked on this day at 95 degrees. So let's just say that usually August in
1:05.1	Atlanta, Georgia can get very, very hot. Hot enough to inspire a wide range of online commentary.
1:12.8	For example, there are the expected comparisons.
1:16.4	It feels like I'm in an oven.
1:19.9	Just breathing hot air.
1:23.9	There are the internal monologues.
1:26.9	Oh, lo. What the heck?
1:28.4	Whoa.
1:29.4	Whoa.
1:30.4	Whoa.
1:31.4	What is that?
1:34.2	Is that the heat?
	...

Transcript will be available on the free plan in 14 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from WBUR, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of WBUR and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.