The recently proposed scalable-manufactured randomized glass-polymer hybrid metamaterial (i.e. metamaterial film) exhibits good energy-saving potential for building applications. The most convenient way to employ this metamaterial film-based radiative cooling is to integrate it with buildings as cool roofs. However, metamaterial film-based radiative cooling is more suitable for buildings with higher roof area to floor area ratios, as this accounts for its relative lower cooling power of 110 W/m2 on a daily average. The prefabricated buildings in China are commonly less than two floors, which are preferable for the application of this metamaterial film-based radiative cooling. To clearly reveal the cooling performance of the metamaterial film-based cool roof (MFCR), a single-floor prefabricated building is modelled in this study, and the energy-saving potential and economic feasibility of the application of the MFCR on the prefabricated building are discussed in detail. When comparing the model in this study with buildings that have the more commonly used shingle roofs or typical white roofs, the annual cooling electricity consumption is reduced by 28.9%–43.0% and 7.8%–12.9%, respectively, for buildings with MFCRs located in five cities in China, each in a different climate zone. Furthermore, the simple payback period for the buildings with MFCRs located in all five climate zones is less than three years compared to the buildings with shingle roofs.
Practical application: A recently proposed metamaterial film exhibits good energy-saving potential for building applications. This paper explores the application of this metamaterial film as a cool roof on a low-rise prefabricated building. The analysis of the cooling performance and economic value of this low-rise prefabricated building located in all five climate zones in China provides guiding significance for the application of MFCR.
DelzendehEWuSLeeA, et al.
The impact of occupants’ behaviours on building energy analysis: a research review. Renew Sust Energ Rev2017;
80: 1061–1071.
2.
WuL.Potential energy savings and environmental impacts of energy efficiency standards for vapor compression central air conditioning units in China. Energ Policy2007;
35: 1709–1717.
3.
DyresonAMillerF.Night sky cooling for concentrating solar power plants. Appl Energ2016;
180: 276–286.
4.
RisbergDRisbergMWesterlundL.Investigation of thermal indoor climate for a passive house in a sub-arctic region using computational fluid dynamics. Indoor Built Environ2019;
28: 677–692.
5.
ZhaoBHuMAoX, et al.
Radiative cooling: a review of fundamentals, materials, applications, and prospects. Appl Energ2019;
236: 489–513.
6.
ZhaiYMaYDavidSN, et al.
Scalable-manufactured randomized glass-polymer hybrid metamaterial for daytime radiative cooling. Science2017;
355: 1062–1066.
7.
HuMPeiGWangQ, et al.
Field test and preliminary analysis of a combined diurnal solar heating and nocturnal radiative cooling system. Appl Energ2016;
179: 899–908.
8.
CuiYWangYHuangQ, et al.
Effect of radiation and convection heat transfer on cooling performance of radiative panel. Renew Energ2016;
99: 10–17.
9.
KhedariJWaewsakJThepaS, et al.
Field investigation of night radiation cooling under tropical climate. Renew Energ2000;
20: 183–193.
10.
HollickJ.Nocturnal radiation cooling tests. Energy Procedia2012;
30: 930–936.
RamanAPAnomaMAZhuL, et al.
Passive radiative cooling below ambient air temperature under direct sunlight. Nature2014;
515: 540–544.
13.
Zhou L, Song H, Liang J, et al. Beam-controlled spectral-selective architecture with planar polydimethylsiloxane/metal-films for all-day radiative cooling. Appl Phys2018; 2: 1–7.
14.
HervéADrévillonJEzzahriY, et al.
Radiative cooling by tailoring surfaces with microstructures: association of a grating and a multi-layer structure. J Quant Spectrosc Radiat Transfer2018;
221: 155–163.
15.
ZhangKZhaoDYinX, et al.
Energy saving and economic analysis of a new hybrid radiative cooling system for single-family houses in the USA. Appl Energ2018;
224: 371–381.
16.
XuKLongELiJ, et al.
Field measurement and influence mechanism analysis of the albedo for a typical urban concrete surface. Indoor Built Environ2019;
28: 837–847.
17.
LuXXuPWangH, et al.
Cooling potential and applications prospects of passive radiative cooling in buildings: the current state-of-the-art. Renew Sust Energ Rev2016;
65: 1079–1097.
18.
EvolaGGaglianoAFicheraA, et al.
UHI effects and strategies to improve outdoor thermal comfort in dense and old neighbourhoods. Energy Procedia2017;
134: 692–701.
19.
GarcíaYCuadradoJBlancoJM, et al.
Optimizing the indoor thermal behaviour of housing units in hot humid climates: analysis and modelling of sustainable constructive alternatives. Indoor Built Environ2019;
28: 772–789.
20.
Lucero-ÁlvarezJMartín-DomínguezIR.The effect of solar reflectance, infrared emissivity, and thermal insulation of roofs on the annual energy consumption of single-family households in México. Indoor Built Environ2019;
28: 17–33.
21.
AkbariHBretzSKurnDM, et al.
Peak power and cooling energy savings of high-albedo roofs. Energ Build1997;
25: 117–126.
22.
ParkerDSSherwinJRSonneJK.Demonstration of cooling savings of light colored roof surfacing in Florida commercial buildings: retail strip mall. Florida Solar Energy Center1997; : 964–997.
23.
KonopackiSGartlandLAkbariH, et al. Demonstration of energy savings of cool roofs.
Berkeley (CA):
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1998, p.40673.
24.
ParkerDSHuangYJKonopackiST, et al.
Measured and simulated performance of reflective roofing systems in residential buildings. ASHRAE Trans1998;
104: 963–975.
25.
KonopackiSJAkbariH.Measured energy savings and demand reduction from a reflective roof membrane on a large retail store in Austin.
Berkeley (CA):
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 2001, Report number LBNL-47149.
26.
AkbariH.Measured energy savings from the application of reflective roofs in two small non-residential buildings. Energy2003;
28: 953–967.
27.
AkbariHLevinsonRRainerL.Monitoring the energy-use effects of cool roofs on California commercial buildings. Energ Build2005;
37: 1007–1016.
28.
BozonnetEDoyaMAllardF.Cool roofs impact on building thermal response: a French case study. Energ Build2011;
43: 3006–3012.
29.
ZingreKTYangXWanMP.Performance analysis of cool roof, green roof and thermal insulation on a concrete flat roof in tropical climate. J Novel Carbon Res Sci Green Asia Strategy2015;
2: 34–43.
30.
FangHZhaoDYuanJ, et al.
Performance evaluation of a metamaterial-based new cool roof using improved roof thermal transfer value model. Appl Energ2019;
248: 589–599.
31.
ZhangKZhaoDZhaiY, et al.
Modelling study of the low-pump-power demand constructal T-shaped pipe network for a large scale radiative cooled-cold storage system. Appl Therm Eng2017;
127: 1564–1573.
32.
ASHRAE. ASHRAE handbook – HVAC applications heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning applications (SI). Georgia, US: American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, 2015.
33.
ASHRAE. ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2010:Energy standard for buildings except low-rise residential buildings. Georgia, US: American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, 2010.
34.
ZhaoDAiliAYinX, et al.
Roof-integrated radiative air-cooling system to achieve cooler attic for building energy saving. Energ Build2019;
203: 109453.
35.
CaoXLiXZhuY, et al.
A comparative study of environmental performance between prefabricated and traditional residential buildings in China. J Clean Prod2015;
109: 131–143. (4959)
36.
TangSZhangKChenL, et al. Energy consumption analysis of small office buildings with integrated metamaterial cool roof. In: Proceeding of the 2019 engineering thermodynamics and energy utilization branch of the engineering thermophysics society, Guangxi, China, November 1–4 2019, p.191218. Beijing: CSET. (In Chinese).
37.
BaniassadiASailorDJBan-WeissGA.Potential energy and climate benefits of super-cool materials as a rooftop strategy. Urban Climate2019;
29: 100495.
BerdahlPMartinM.Emissivity of clear skies. Sol Energy1984;
32: 663–664.
43.
MartinMBerdahlP.Characteristics of infrared sky radiation in the United States. Sol Energy1984;
33: 321–336.
44.
WaltonGN.Thermal analysis research program reference manual.
Washington, D.C,
US: National Bureau of Standards, 1983,pp. 83–2655.
45.
KontoleonKJEumorfopoulouEA.The influence of wall orientation and exterior surface solar absorptivity on time lag and decrement factor in the Greek region. Renew Energ2008;
33: 1652–1664.
46.
WaltonGN.Passive solar extension of the building loads analysis and system thermodynamics (BLAST) program. Technical Report. Champaign, IL: United States Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory, 1981.
47.
ClarkGAllenCP. The estimation of atmospheric radiation for clear and cloudy skies. In: Proceedings of 2nd national passive solar conference, Philadelphia, US, March 16–18 1978, p. 675–678. NY: ASES.
48.
BlissRW.Atmospheric radiation near the surface of the ground: a summary for engineers. Sol Energy1961;
5: 103–120.
49.
GB50189-2015. Standard practice for building public building energy saving.
Beijing:
Standardization Administration of China, 2015.
50.
Gordian RSMeans Data. Building construction costs with rsmeans data. Gordian RSMeans Data, 2017.
FernandezNWangWAlvineKJ, et al. Energy savings potential of radiative cooling technologies. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), 2015.
