4 ms·
A large part of this could be mitigated by building with passive thermal efficiency in mind. Features like extra insulation on roofs and south facing walls, lar
by thescriptkiddie 9y ago
A large part of this could be mitigated by building with passive thermal efficiency in mind. Features like extra insulation on roofs and south facing walls, large thermal masses, strategic eaves that block sunlight in the summer but let it through in the winter, whole building energy recovery ventilation systems, green roofs, underground living spaces, etc.
- WalterBright 9y agoSimply using a white coating on the roof can reduce the A/C bill by about 3%. It's so simple, I do not know why this isn't part of the building code in hot places. People may not like it for their homes, but for commercial buildings with flat roofs, it's a no-brainer.
- dpark 9y agoDon't most commercial buildings use white roofs? I've not spent a lot of time on commercial roofs, but the ones I've been on were always white.
- pilom 9y agoIn colder climates where heating is as much an expense as cooling, no. Most just put black tar up there because it is cheap. That said, when you need to pay to heat in summer and pay to cool in winter, the 3% savings in cooling doesn't help you when you also increase your heating bill in the winter by 3%.
- sjg007 9y agoIt is in Arizona. White or silver.
- WalterBright 9y agohttps://www.google.com/maps/place/Phoenix,+AZ/@33.4437866,-112.170185,2558m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x872b12ed50a179cb:0x8c69c7f8354a1bac!8m2!3d33.4483771!4d-112.0740373 https://www.google.com/maps/place/Phoenix,+AZ/@33.4437866,-1... Looks like good progress. Less penetration into the residential areas, but progress.