Promising Radiative Cooling Materials and Their Application in Construction and Building

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Sustainable Energy
• Building Physics

Background:

• Conventional air conditioning systems are energy-intensive.
• Radiative cooling technology offers a passive alternative by emitting infrared radiation to space.
• High solar radiation and heat in tropical/subtropical regions necessitate efficient cooling solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the development of radiative cooling materials.
• To focus on raw materials, manufacturing, and key properties for radiative cooling.
• To discuss the application of these materials in buildings and future directions.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on radiative cooling materials.
• Analysis of material properties: solar reflectivity and infrared emissivity.
• Evaluation of performance in building applications: cooling effect, mechanical properties, stability.

Main Results:

• Passive radiative cooling materials can reduce building temperatures by >8°C (day) and >10°C (night).
• Key material distinctions include high solar reflectivity (>90%) and mid-infrared emissivity (>0.9).
• Materials show potential for enhancing energy efficiency by reducing air conditioning load.

Conclusions:

• Radiative cooling materials are a promising passive cooling technology.
• Further research should focus on sustainability, scalability, cost-effectiveness, and long-term performance for building applications.
• Integration of these materials can significantly improve thermal management and energy efficiency in buildings.