Ecological and Energy Efficiency Impacts of Urban Roofs and Pavements
- American Forests, Chicago, IL (United States)
AMERICAN FORESTS is a national leader in analyzing urban ecosystem structure, function and value using GIS technology. After conducting Urban Ecosystem Analyses in several US cities, the organization has developed a desktop computer software program that allows this technology to be transferred to local government and be used on a personal computer. This user-friendly version can be used by local planners and political leaders to make well-informed decisions about the planning and development process. AMERJCAN FORESTS' current GIS-based analyses address the effects of vegetation on air quality energy conservation and stormwater management. This project will expand the interpretive capabilities of the program to include thermal and energy-use response to the use of different roofing surfaces. The program currently analyzes the impacts of trees on home air-conditioning use, and the roof surface module will be an important complementary component. Research has shown that roof products which reflect the sun's heat back into the atmosphere impose lower cooling costs on buildings than roof products which absorb the sun's heat slowly and release it. Reflectance, or albedo, is often higher in lighter-colored products, although the use of certain materials can make a dark-colored roof more reflective. A considerable amount of research has been done in this area by scientists from the Department of Energy, particularly the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratories (LBL), the Florida Solar Energy Center and others. This project makes use of research and modeling results from Lawrence Berkeley Laboratories, in Berkeley, California. This research associates a specific reduction in energy-use with a change of roofing products.
- Research Organization:
- American Forests, Chicago, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG36-95GO10098
- OSTI ID:
- 1183995
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/GO-/10098
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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