Cooling energy savings potential of light-colored roofs for residential and commercial buildings in 11 US metropolitan areas

High-albedo roof coatings for reducing building cooling needs

“…In this section, codes, standards, and instrument procedures for measuring the main properties of a cool coating are dealt with, taking into account the recent research and institutional developments in this field. The progress achieved in these regions was primarily determined by the work of the Heat Island Group that was created in California, within the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Akbari et al, 1997b). Important monitoring studies conducted in California and Florida show that the United States could save about US$750 million if an overall albedo increase of 10% is carried out (Akbari et al, 2005b;Levinson and Akbari, 2010;Parker et al, 1998).…”

“…Several experimental in-lab and in-field studies have demonstrated that the implementation of high-albedo roofs in building results in energy saving for cooling by more than 20%, depending on climate conditions, indoor occupancy, and roof thermal characteristics (e.g., insulation level; Zinzi and Fasano, 2009). In fact, California Tile 24 action in the Building Energy Efficiency Program, started in 2005, prescribed minimum values of solar reflectance and thermal emittance to be reached in low-sloped roofs on both residential and nonresidential buildings (Akbari et al, 1997b). Additionally, important CO 2 emissions reduction could be achieved through the same strategy, by retrofitting a large amount of urban roofs.…”

Spectral response data for development of cool coloured tile coverings

“…Tens of buildings (industrial sheds, stores, schools, houses, offices, etc.) with different cool roofing solutions have been instrumented and monitored [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]. The studies show decreases of peak load and local energy consumption by up to 70%.…”

A composite cool colored tile for sloped roofs with high ‘equivalent’ solar reflectance

“…The first studies were carried out since the late 1990s when LBNL scientists started to analyze how high albedo materials can either mitigate UHI [2] or reduce energy use [3,4], as well as improve air quality [5]. Studies started in southern U.S., but they were then widened to consider different areas and climates [6].…”