Have you ever wondered why buildings with white roofs are cooler compared to those who don’t have roofs of that color? The reason why is that materials with lighter colors (like white) absorb less heat from the sun compared to materials with darker colors. This makes houses with white roofs significantly cooler, especially in warmer seasons. But is comfort reduced in cooler seasons? Thankfully, it isn’t.
A New Zealand study tested near-identical buildings in Auckland with either a red or white roof. It found that even in Auckland’s temperate climate, white roofs reduced the need for air conditioning during hotter periods, without reducing comfort during cooler seasons.
The study also identified several large-scale white-roof installations, including at Auckland International Airport, shopping centres and commercial buildings, but the effect was less clear.
This research suggests that there is potential for white-roof installations to significantly reduce the amount of energy needed to cool buildings. This would in turn reduce greenhouse gas emissions and also help us to adapt to rising temperatures.
Check out more details about this study over at The Conversation.
(Image Credit: lenalindell20/ Pixabay)
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neat
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