"Cement normally soaks up heat from the sun,and that in turn makes our buildings hotter. So we crank up the A/C.That's a major problem for the climate: as the planet warms, and A/C use grows, the energy used for air-conditioning is expected to triple by the middle of the century. Air conditioners, ironically, are perpetuating extreme heat as they contribute to climate change. But they're not the only way to keep buildings cool."
""In hot, dry climates or places with clear skies, super-cool cement can significantly lower building envelope temperatures, reducing or even eliminating the need for mechanical air-conditioning," says Guo Lu, the lead author of a new study about the work published in Science Advances. "In more humid or variable climates, it can still substantially reduce energy consumption by easing the load on HVAC systems.""
Supercool cement is engineered to reflect more incoming sunlight and radiate absorbed heat into the atmosphere, reducing heat gain through building envelopes. Tests show the material can lower indoor temperatures by nearly 10 degrees Fahrenheit. The mix produces abundant ettringite crystals of varied sizes that scatter and reflect light. Adding alumina-rich minerals and altering microstructure enables strong thermal emission in the atmospheric window. In hot, dry, and clear-sky locations the material can reduce or even eliminate the need for mechanical air-conditioning. In more humid or variable climates it can significantly reduce HVAC energy use by lowering cooling loads.
Read at Fast Company
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