{"slug": "europe-races-to-protect-infrastructure-from-heat-with-drones-ai-and-white-paint", "title": "Europe Races to Protect Infrastructure from Heat with Drones, AI, and White Paint", "summary": "Europe is deploying drones, AI sensors, and white paint to protect aging infrastructure from intensifying heatwaves that are buckling railways, melting roads, and straining power grids. The continent's infrastructure, designed for moderate climates, faces growing economic threats as extreme weather events become more frequent, with a 2025 report estimating potential GDP losses of up to 4.7% by 2030.", "body_md": "**July 15, 2026, (Inside AI) —** Europe is deploying drones, AI sensors, and even white paint to shield its aging infrastructure from heatwaves that are buckling railways, melting roads, and straining power grids. The continent, long engineered for moderate climates, is scrambling to adapt as temperatures soar beyond historical norms.\n\nAt Oslo airport on Wednesday, workers sprayed **9,000 litres** of water onto the tarmac to prevent softening under aircraft weight, with temperatures hitting **30°C**—** 10°C** above normal. The fire brigade’s intervention is a stark symbol of how even Nordic nations, accustomed to bitter cold, are now confronting dangerous heat.\n\n“In Norway, the asphalt must withstand both extreme cold and fairly warm temperatures,” said **Jørn Arvid Remark**, operating engineer at state-owned airport operator **Avinor**, noting the airport is testing new heat-resistant asphalt.\n\nAcross Western Europe, temperatures on Wednesday were **5.5°C** above the July 15 average, according to the **Reuters Climate Monitor**. The heat is not just an inconvenience—it is an economic threat. A **2025** report by leading central banks estimated extreme weather could slash euro zone GDP by up to **4.7%** by **2030**.\n\n“Our infrastructure is in no way prepared for the extreme weather events that we’re going to see,” said **Chris Dodwell**, co-head of sustainability at **Impax Asset Management**. He emphasized that heatwaves, once rare, are now regular events.\n\n## Rails Buckle, But Storms Wreak Havoc\n\nEurope’s railways are on the front line. An **EU report** in April found that over **70%** of rail managers face growing disruption from extreme weather. Between **2015** and **2024**, weather-related interruptions cost the equivalent of **one to three years** of railway service across the region.\n\nHeat expands tracks and causes points, signals, and power systems to fail. But the real danger often follows the heatwave. “The most critical issue for rail networks is not the heat itself, but the thunderstorms, strong winds and landslides that often follow heatwaves,” said **Oliviero Baccelli**, a professor at Milan’s **Bocconi University**. “Italy has already experienced significant disruptions to its railway network, particularly on Alpine routes, as a result of climate-related events.”\n\nNorthern countries like Britain face unique challenges because their rail infrastructure was designed for a narrower temperature range. **John Lawrence**, chair of the **IET Railway Technical Network**, said many components are “in essence frozen in time.” He noted operators are exploring more stable sleeper designs and technologies like AI and drones to “speed up the amount of track that can be inspected and monitored.”\n\nBritain’s **Network Rail** has pledged **£2.6 billion** (**$3.5 billion**) between **2024** and **2029** to weatherproof its network. But not all fixes are costly. Stockholm’s transport authority spent about **100,000 Swedish crowns** (**$10,300**) painting metro track sections white in May and June to reflect heat and reduce buckling risk.\n\n## Learning from the Desert, Redesigning for the Future\n\n**Martin Wilson**, engineering director at French rail equipment manufacturer **Alstom**, believes Europe can learn from systems like the **Riyadh Metro** and **Dubai tram**, designed for temperatures above **50°C**. “Today’s heatwaves are often more intense, more frequent and longer-lasting,” he said. “Rising temperatures are increasingly challenging rail systems across Europe.”\n\nRoads face similar pressures. Northern European highways were built for freeze-thaw cycles, while southern countries like Spain use asphalt blends for prolonged heat. Finding a balance is harder as winters stay cold and summers get hotter. “They may have to adjust their approach,” said **José Pablo Sáez Villar** of the **Spanish Civil Engineers Association**, referring to planners in northern Europe.\n\nParis transport operator **RATP** has created a heatwave contingency unit and will finalize a climate adaptation plan by year-end. In Norway, warmer, wetter weather is reshaping design standards. “Roads are going to be made more robust,” said **Grethe Vikane**, head of social development and climate at the **Norwegian Public Roads Administration**. “So they can withstand both the challenges already being experienced and the consequences of expected climate change.”\n\nAs Europe bakes, the race to retrofit its infrastructure with a mix of high-tech and low-tech solutions is only beginning. The continent’s ability to keep trains running, planes landing, and traffic moving will depend on how quickly it can adapt to a climate it was never built for.", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/europe-races-to-protect-infrastructure-from-heat-with-drones-ai-and-white-paint", "canonical_source": "https://insideai.news/news/ai-in-business/europe-races-to-protect-infrastructure-from-heat-with-drones-ai-and-white-paint/4372/", "published_at": "2026-07-15 11:38:46+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-07-15 11:51:46.060747+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["artificial-intelligence", "ai-tools", "ai-infrastructure"], "entities": ["Avinor", "Impax Asset Management", "Network Rail", "Alstom", "RATP", "Bocconi University", "IET Railway Technical Network", "Spanish Civil Engineers Association"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/europe-races-to-protect-infrastructure-from-heat-with-drones-ai-and-white-paint", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/europe-races-to-protect-infrastructure-from-heat-with-drones-ai-and-white-paint.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/europe-races-to-protect-infrastructure-from-heat-with-drones-ai-and-white-paint.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/europe-races-to-protect-infrastructure-from-heat-with-drones-ai-and-white-paint.jsonld"}}