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

5 Reasons Engineering is the Edge in Healthcare Master Planning

The most successful plans go further to unlock smarter investments, improve resilience and enable better patient outcomes.


Building an AI-Ready Healthcare Facility 

Creating a secure, standardized data foundation can help facilities teams put AI to work more effectively.


Family Medical Associates of Raleigh Reports April 2026 Data Breach

The investigation has found evidence that between April 18, 2026, and April 20, 2026, an unauthorized actor intermittently accessed some FMAR systems.


Every Detail Matters: A Patient's Story of Healing, Hope and Healthcare Facilities

In the Facilities in Focus season finale, 11-year-old Kendalynn and her mother share how Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital became more than a place for care.


Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center Tops Off New 11-Story Tower

The expansion will improve the patient experience by transitioning the hospital to all private patient rooms while significantly increasing clinical capacity.


 
 


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.