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Design principles of film-covered surfaces for both solar heating and radiative cooling: An experimental investigation

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  • Li, Wuyan
  • Gong, Yuanxiu
  • Wang, Lu
  • Deng, Shihan
  • Jiang, Lina
  • Gao, Yafeng

Abstract

Film-covered dual-mode surfaces for solar heating and radiative cooling (SH-RC) hold strong potential for applications in building heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, as well as exterior surface retrofits. To explore the relationship between design configurations and thermal performance of SH-RC surface, this study experimentally evaluated the spectral properties, solar heating, and radiative cooling performance of various coated surface designs. The results reveal several key design principles for SH-RC surface: (1) PVF and PET films are the most suitable low-cost cover materials, with nocturnal stagnation temperatures of 16.4 °C and 15.8 °C, respectively. (2) Surfaces with spectral selectivity outperform non-selective ones in both solar heating and radiative cooling modes. (3) High-transmittance cover layers benefit both heating and cooling performance. (4) There exists an optimal film thickness for performance, and the best results were obtained with 100 μm PET and 40 μm PVF films. (5) A linear relationship was observed between the operating temperature of the SH-RC surface and its heating/cooling power output. These findings provide a clear structure–function framework for SH–RC surface design and offer practical guidance for the implementation of film-covered dual-mode systems in real-world applications.

Suggested Citation

  • Li, Wuyan & Gong, Yuanxiu & Wang, Lu & Deng, Shihan & Jiang, Lina & Gao, Yafeng, 2026. "Design principles of film-covered surfaces for both solar heating and radiative cooling: An experimental investigation," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 271(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:271:y:2026:i:c:s0960148126008451
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2026.126019
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