Google Research· Research

Expanding our Heat Resilience data to 50+ global cities

David Fork, Staff Research Scientist, and Jules Kuperminc, Product Manager, Google Research 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. Quick links Heat Resilience site Paper Interactive data Share Copy link × 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. …

Announced

30 Jun 2026 17:03 UTC