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Cooling energy savings potential of reflective roofs for residential and commercial buildings in the United States

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  • Akbari, H
  • Konopacki, S
  • Pomerantz, M

Abstract

We make quantitative estimates of the impact of roof reflectivity on cooling and heating energy use for buildings in the US. Prototypical buildings are simulated with reflective (light in color) and absorptive (dark in color) roofs. Differences of annual cooling and heating energy use and peak electricity demand between dark and light roofs yield the savings. The DOE-2 building energy simulation program is used for these calculations. Monetary savings are calculated using local utility rates. Savings are estimated for 11 US metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) in a variety of climates. The total savings for all 11 MSAs are: annual electricity savings, 2.6 terawatt hours (TWh); net annual savings, $194 M; and peak electricity demand savings, 1.7 gigawatt (GW). Extrapolating the savings from the 11 MSAs to the entire United States, we estimate annual electricity savings of about 10 TWh and a net savings of about $750 M in annual energy payments. Peak electricity power reduction is estimated to be about 7 GW.

Suggested Citation

  • Akbari, H & Konopacki, S & Pomerantz, M, 1999. "Cooling energy savings potential of reflective roofs for residential and commercial buildings in the United States," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 24(5), pages 391-407.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:24:y:1999:i:5:p:391-407
    DOI: 10.1016/S0360-5442(98)00105-4
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    1. Boixo, Sergio & Diaz-Vicente, Marian & Colmenar, Antonio & Castro, Manuel Alonso, 2012. "Potential energy savings from cool roofs in Spain and Andalusia," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 425-438.
    2. Hirano, Y. & Fujita, T., 2012. "Evaluation of the impact of the urban heat island on residential and commercial energy consumption in Tokyo," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 371-383.
    3. Huang, Yu & Niu, Jian-lei & Chung, Tse-ming, 2013. "Study on performance of energy-efficient retrofitting measures on commercial building external walls in cooling-dominant cities," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 97-108.
    4. Kruzner, Kelly & Cox, Kristin & Machmer, Brian & Klotz, Leidy, 2013. "Trends in observable passive solar design strategies for existing homes in the U.S," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 82-94.
    5. Qin, Yinghong, 2015. "A review on the development of cool pavements to mitigate urban heat island effect," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 445-459.
    6. Zingre, Kishor T. & Wan, Man Pun & Tong, Shanshan & Li, Hua & Chang, Victor W.-C. & Wong, Swee Khian & Thian Toh, Winston Boo & Leng Lee, Irene Yen, 2015. "Modeling of cool roof heat transfer in tropical climate," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 210-223.
    7. Sofia Pastori & Riccardo Mereu & Enrico Sergio Mazzucchelli & Stefano Passoni & Giovanni Dotelli, 2021. "Energy Performance Evaluation of a Ventilated Façade System through CFD Modeling and Comparison with International Standards," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-26, January.
    8. Levinson, Ronnen & Akbari, Hashem & Konopacki, Steve & Bretz, Sarah, 2005. "Inclusion of cool roofs in nonresidential Title 24 prescriptive requirements," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(2), pages 151-170, January.
    9. Fadye Al Fayad & Wahid Maref & Mohamed M. Awad, 2021. "Review of White Roofing Materials and Emerging Economies with Focus on Energy Performance Cost-Benefit, Maintenance, and Consumer Indifference," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-21, September.
    10. Qin, Yinghong & Zhang, Mingyi & Hiller, Jacob E., 2017. "Theoretical and experimental studies on the daily accumulative heat gain from cool roofs," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 138-147.
    11. Zingre, Kishor T. & Wan, Man Pun & Wong, Swee Khian & Toh, Winston Boo Thian & Lee, Irene Yen Leng, 2015. "Modelling of cool roof performance for double-skin roofs in tropical climate," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 813-826.
    12. Testa, Jenna & Krarti, Moncef, 2017. "A review of benefits and limitations of static and switchable cool roof systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 451-460.
    13. Hanif, M. & Mahlia, T.M.I. & Zare, A. & Saksahdan, T.J. & Metselaar, H.S.C., 2014. "Potential energy savings by radiative cooling system for a building in tropical climate," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 642-650.
    14. Doug, Banting & Hitesh, Doshi & James, Li & Paul, Missios, 2005. "Report on the Environmental Benefits and Costs of Green Roof Technology for the City of Toronto," MPRA Paper 70526, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    15. Cristina Andrade & André Fonseca & João A. Santos, 2023. "Climate Change Trends for the Urban Heat Island Intensities in Two Major Portuguese Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-20, February.
    16. Butt, Afaq A. & de Vries, Samuel B. & Loonen, Roel C.G.M. & Hensen, Jan L.M. & Stuiver, Anthonie & van den Ham, Jonathan E.J. & Erich, Bart S.J.F., 2021. "Investigating the energy saving potential of thermochromic coatings on building envelopes," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 291(C).
    17. Yang, Jiachuan & Wang, Zhi-Hua & Kaloush, Kamil E., 2015. "Environmental impacts of reflective materials: Is high albedo a ‘silver bullet’ for mitigating urban heat island?," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 830-843.
    18. Tsang, S.W. & Jim, C.Y., 2011. "Theoretical evaluation of thermal and energy performance of tropical green roofs," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(5), pages 3590-3598.
    19. Jihui Yuan & Kazuo Emura & Craig Farnham, 2016. "Highly Reflective Roofing Sheets Installed on a School Building to Mitigate the Urban Heat Island Effect in Osaka," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(6), pages 1-10, May.
    20. Zingre, Kishor T. & Wan, Man Pun & Yang, Xingguo, 2015. "A new RTTV (roof thermal transfer value) calculation method for cool roofs," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 222-232.
    21. Gao, Yafeng & Xu, Jiangmin & Yang, Shichao & Tang, Xiaomin & Zhou, Quan & Ge, Jing & Xu, Tengfang & Levinson, Ronnen, 2014. "Cool roofs in China: Policy review, building simulations, and proof-of-concept experiments," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 190-214.
    22. Friedman, Chanoch & Becker, Nir & Erell, Evyatar, 2014. "Energy retrofit of residential building envelopes in Israel: A cost-benefit analysis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 183-193.
    23. Li, Danny H.W. & Yang, Liu & Lam, Joseph C., 2013. "Zero energy buildings and sustainable development implications – A review," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 1-10.
    24. Jorge Lucero-Álvarez & Norma A. Rodríguez-Muñoz & Ignacio R. Martín-Domínguez, 2016. "The Effects of Roof and Wall Insulation on the Energy Costs of Low Income Housing in Mexico," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(7), pages 1-19, June.
    25. Matheus Koengkan & José Alberto Fuinhas & Fernanda Paula Oliveira & Uğur Ursavaş & Natália Moreno, 2023. "Building a Sustainable Future: How Eco-Friendly Homes Are Driving Local Economic Development in Lisbon Metropolitan Area," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-34, June.

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