Cool walls can help whole-building energy efficiency

When building wall systems also have high reflectivity and emissivity, the result is a much more efficient building overall


The roof isn’t the only part of the building exterior where reflective and emissive materials can help cut energy demand, according to an article from Building Operating Management on the FacilitiesNet website.

The logic behind increased use of cool walls is best understood when considering multi-story buildings particularly found in urban locations.

“In multi-floor buildings, a cool roof affects the HVAC energy use of only the top floor while cool walls influence the HVAC energy use of every above-grade floor," according to Ronnen Levinson, staff scientist and leader of the Heat Island Group at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

"Thus all else being equal, we expect cooling savings and heating penalties from cool walls to be greater than those from a cool roof when the building has a low ratio of roof area to net wall area.”

Read the article.



October 29, 2019


Topic Area: HVAC


Recent Posts

Design, Compartmentation, Training: How Defend-in-Place Strategies Can Protect Patients

Effective defend-in-place strategies depend on compartmentation, fire-rated assemblies and ongoing staff training to protect patients who cannot quickly evacuate.


Milestone Marked with Topping Out Ceremony for BayCare Hospital Manatee

Construction remains on schedule, with crews continuing work on interior spaces, infrastructure and clinical areas throughout the facility.


NYC Health + Hospitals Experiences Third-Party Data Breach

The healthcare organization was notified that a business associate, Solventum Health Information Systems, suffered a data security incident.


Making AI Work for Predictive Maintenance

AI can support predictive maintenance by helping managers anticipate equipment failures, reduce downtime and improve operational efficiency.


Thomas Jefferson University Unveils Plans for Sidney Kimmel Medical College in Allentown, PA

Located at One Center Square, in downtown Allentown, the campus will include more than 54,000 square feet of newly constructed medical education space.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

 
 
 
 

Healthcare Facilities Today membership includes free email newsletters from our facility-industry brands.

Facebook   Twitter   LinkedIn   Posts

Copyright © 2023 TradePress. All rights reserved.