Open AccessCooling energy savings potential of light-colored roofs for residential and commercial buildings in 11 US metropolitan areas
Author(s) -
S. Konopacki,
Hashem Akbari,
M. Pomerantz,
S Gabersek,
L Gartland
Publication year - 1997
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/510556
Subject(s) - colored , metropolitan area , environmental science , electricity , energy demand , consumption (sociology) , energy consumption , roof , electricity demand , agricultural economics , geography , architectural engineering , natural resource economics , engineering , economics , civil engineering , electricity generation , physics , power (physics) , social science , materials science , archaeology , quantum mechanics , sociology , electrical engineering , composite material
Light-colored roofs reflect more sunlight than dark roofs, thus they keep buildings cooler and reduce air-conditioning demand. Typical roofs in the United States are dark, which creates a potential for savings energy and money by changing to reflective roofs. In this report, the authors make quantitative estimates of the impact of roof color by simulating prototypical buildings with light- and dark-colored roofs and calculating savings by taking the differences in annual cooling and heating energy use, and peak electricity demand. Monetary savings are calculated using local utility rates. Savings are estimated for 11 U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) in a variety of climates