Coupling Urban Energy and Microclimate Models to Quantify High Albedo Pavement Cooling Effects in Antwerp

In mature urban areas where space for nature infrastructure is limited, high albedo pavements provide a practical alternative for urban heat mitigation; however, their integrated impacts on urban microclimate and building energy demand lack quantification at fine spatial and temporal scales. We developed a multiscale urban energy microclimate coupling framework to assess the cooling effects of high albedo pavements in Antwerp. Urban microclimate simulations capture pavement induced modifications in surface temperature, near-surface air temperature, and radiative fluxes under summer conditions. We dynamically coupled these outputs with building energy models to evaluate how altered microclimatic conditions influence cooling energy demand at the neighborhood scale. We examined multiple pavement albedo enhancement scenarios while controlling for urban morphology, meteorological conditions, and building characteristics.

Our case study demonstrates that increasing pavement albedo reduces average near-surface temperatures and lowers building cooling energy demand in many neighborhoods. The effects are strongest in densely built and medium density areas, while more heterogeneous or low density neighborhoods show mixed outcomes. Moreover, high albedo pavement across the city would generate significant cumulative reductions in building energy related greenhouse gas emissions over multiple decades, demonstrating the climate mitigation potential of urban surface interventions.