In spite of days that often exceed 110 degrees in the summer, Phoenix has a number of outdoor malls. Mall giant Vestar wants to make it a little less trying for shoppers to get to the stores in the summer. They’ve joined forces with Arizona State University’s (ASU) Southwest Integrated Field Laboratory (SW-IFL) to launch the first-ever ‘Cool Pavement Project’ at Desert Ridge Marketplace. 

The project aims to help mitigate elevated temperatures in communities dense with impervious and solar-absorbing materials- known as the ‘Urban Heat Island Effect’.

CoolSeal by GuardTop® is a water-based asphalt coating that is expected to lower street and parking lot temperatures by reflecting heat rather than absorbing it. Paved surfaces – including roads, sidewalks, and parking lots – make up approximately 40-percent of the Phoenix land area, warming ambient urban air on the hottest days. CoolSeal has the potential of lowering surface and air temperatures- reducing energy and water consumption over the long term- while also improving the customer shopping experience.