A new, ultra-reflective roof material is the first to stay cooler than the surrounding air
As summers keep getting hotter because of climate change, it sets up a vicious cycle: By the end of the century, the world may be using more than 30 times more energy for air conditioning, pushing temperatures up even more. But a new variation on cool roofs could help.
A typical dark roof soaks in sunlight, heating up the building underneath and releasing more heat back into the surrounding neighborhood at night. While cool roofs—made from white, reflective material—aren’t new, they still absorb some heat. A new material is the first to actually stay cooler than ambient air.
“What we set out to do was maximize the solar reflectance to see how far it could be pushed…to see the extent of further improvements that are possible with open roofing technologies,” says Angus Gentle, a researcher at the University of Technology Sydney, who developed the material along with physics professor Geoff Smith.
By adding layers of plastic on top of silver, the researchers were able to create a roof surface that bounces sunlight back into space, leaving it as much nine degrees cooler than a state-of-the-art cool roof. “The coating keeps the roof cool by reflecting almost all of the incoming solar radiation,” Gentle says. “A vast majority of this emitted radiation goes directly into space without being absorbed by the atmosphere.”
Compare that to a standard roof—which absorbs as much as 90% of light—or the best cool roofs, which can only reflect 70% to 85% of sun. “This still equates to a summer heat load of 150-300 watts per square meter of heat being absorbed,” says Gentle. In cities, roofs are a major driver of the so-called urban heat island effect, keeping urban neighborhoods several degrees warmer than less developed areas nearby.
Read more: With This Self-Cooling Roof, You Might Not Need AC
The Latest on: Cool roofs
[google_news title=”” keyword=”Cool roofs” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
via Google News
The Latest on: Cool roofs
- Umbrella Roofing founder thinks big on charitable givingon April 27, 2024 at 1:00 am
Umbrella Roofing founder and president Trevor Cannon started a charitable giving program called 1% Close to Home in 2011. His business has made more than $1 million in contributions. Now he hopes to ...
- Innovative Roofing Solutions Exploring Emerging Trends in Pennsylvania’s Roofing Industryon April 25, 2024 at 7:38 pm
In addition to environmental benefits, green roofing also adds aesthetic value to buildings. By incorporating elements of nature into the design, it creates a soothing and relaxing atmosphere for ...
- This $5 million magazine-featured Toronto home has the weirdest roofon April 24, 2024 at 9:37 pm
After looking at homes your entire life, you think you know what a roof should look like. You've got gable roofs, flat roofs, gambrel roofs, and ...
- Hilton Head’s new iconic Tiki Hut is getting a roof. Drone video gives an inside lookon April 24, 2024 at 4:16 pm
Beach House Hilton Head Island, including the iconic Tiki Hut beach bar, is getting an upgrade, changing the landscape of Coligny Beach Park’s entrance and bringing live music closer to the beach. The ...
- Couple Builds Family Mansion in 7 Months, Gives it Flat roof, Paints Building with Cool Colourson April 24, 2024 at 2:57 am
A video of a house completed in seven months has stirred massive reactions on social media as people congratulated the owner. It also had a feel of nature.
- Cool paint can take the urban heaton April 22, 2024 at 6:03 am
The cool paint-treated canyon experienced up to a 30% reduction in heat released from the built-up surfaces during a 24-hour cycle, resulting in an air temperature lower than the conventional canyon ...
- How Much Does Metal Roofing Cost? (2024 Guide)on April 17, 2024 at 5:00 pm
The Federal Energy Management Program estimates you can save as much as $1.11 per square foot of roofing with an ENERGY STAR-qualified cool roof in ideal conditions. You can increase the energy ...
- Meet women on three continents who are helping their cities beat the heaton April 17, 2024 at 4:29 am
Her office was instrumental in getting a change to building codes, which came into force this year, to require “cool” roofs, including in all buildings the county finances. These are designed ...
- NASA: Object That Crashed Through Florida Family's Roof Last Month Came From The ISSon April 16, 2024 at 10:24 am
NASA has confirmed that the metallic object which smashed through the roof of a Florida family's home last month was in fact debris that had been ejected from the International Space Station three ...
- Can A Metal Roof Keep Your Home Cool During Summer?on April 13, 2024 at 6:00 pm
A metal roof can be a great investment for your home; it's durable and lasts decades. But what happens to your energy bill when that summer sun hits it?
via Bing News