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Surface reflectivity
Overview
This layer shows surface reflectivity, a measure of how much sunlight surfaces reflect. Surface reflectivity is expressed as a value between 0 and 100%, representing the proportion of incoming solar radiation reflected by a surface. Light-colored surfaces have higher reflectivities, while darker surfaces absorb more heat and have lower reflectivities. The data are derived from Sentinel-2 satellite imagery using the methods of Bonafoni and Sekertekin (2020) for calculating albedo and downscaled to a higher spatial resolution.
Function
To quantify the reflectivity of urban surfaces and assess how surface materials influence urban heat.
Source
WRI
Data sources
Sentinel-2
Spatial resolution
1 meter downscaled from 10 meters
Spatial coverage
Global
Temporal resolution
static
Temporal coverage
2024 summertime median
Cautions
Albedo is estimated from satellite data which is affected by cloud cover, atmospheric conditions, and the angle and orientation of roofs. While we make every effort to minimize these effects, the data the data is not intended to serve as a tool for assessing the reflectivity of individual buildings. The data is suitable for guiding assessments of heat and the potential for creating interventions.