Roads painted blue to cool down temperatures in Doha

Some roads in Doha, capital of Qatar, have been painted with a blue heat-reflecting pigment to reduce the temperature of the asphalt surface by reflecting up to 50 percent of solar radiation.

This is an experimental project carried out jointly between the city's Public Works Authority and a Japanese company.

According to a Doha city engineer, the temperature of dark asphalt is 20 C higher than the actual temperature, because black absorbs and radiates heat.

The street and experiment will be under evaluation for a period of 18 months.