Tag Archives: energy efficiency

The Power of Cool Coatings!

The Northern Cape Province of South Africa is mainly semi-desert. In January, afternoon temperatures usually range from 34 to 40 degrees Celsius. In 1939, an all time high of 47.8 degrees Celsius was recorded at the Orange River.

Summer temperatures often top the 40 degree mark in this region (104 Fahrenheit).

This video explains how cool surfaces can help reduce indoor temperatures and improve the quality of life of those living in low-income housing in this scorching environment.

Reflective surfaces are cool in more ways than one, reducing energy consumption and saving lives one building at a time!

Cool Roofs and Energy Efficiency in China

The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) has conducted the first comprehensive study of cool roofs in China and concluded that they would be an effective way to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.

Researchers ran simulations on residential and commercial buildings in seven cities in five climate zones, and found that light colored roofs reduced the need for air conditioning and energy consumption, and lowered the output of greenhouse gas trapping carbon dioxide.

LBNL scientist and lead author, Ronnen Levinson (member of GCCA’s Board) had this to say:

“Cool roofs have been well demonstrated in the United States, Europe, and elsewhere,” said lead author and Berkeley Lab scientist Ronnen Levinson. “While the concept is the same everywhere, we wanted to show that cool roofs would also be effective for Chinese construction, in Chinese climates, and with Chinese building operation practices.”

You can find the full study in the Toolkit’s Knowledge Base.