Case study of
#00007 Convert dark roofs and pavement to reflective, high-albedo surfaces
Newark, New Jersey, USA
#00003
Implementer
New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU)
Timeline
Since Jul 17, 2025
Location
Description
After Newark recorded 103°F in June 2025 — breaking its previous June high by six degrees — New Jersey launched a $5 million Urban Heat Island Mitigation Program through the Board of Public Utilities, funded by the state Clean Energy Fund. The program awards grants in tiers, including up to $1 million each for two major neighborhood revitalization projects bundling expanded tree canopy, green infrastructure, cool pavements, and smart-misting systems. It is included here as a documented example of the bundled-intervention funding model; outcomes are still pending as the grant program opened for applications in late 2025.
Metrics
2Funding
Lessons learned
- A record-breaking heat event can be the trigger that unlocks dedicated heat-mitigation funding — pre-prepared program design lets a city act on that window.
- Funding bundled interventions (canopy + cool pavement + green infrastructure together) acknowledges that no single measure is sufficient.
- Program launch is not impact: a grant opening should be recorded as 'ongoing' until deployment outcomes are measured.
Sources
2Documented May 22, 2026