Advanced Surfaces

The Advanced Surfaces Project, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, explores the soiling and weathering of building envelope surfaces, such as roofs. We are using this information to develop a laboratory method for accelerated soiling and weathering of roofing materials. Our process could advance the development and commercialization of novel cool roofing products.
Today, aged ratings for roofing products are obtained through 3 years of natural exposure at weathering sites in various climates. (Image courtesy of Atlas Material Testing Technology)
Our accelerated aging method incorporates a weatherometer (shown) and a soiling apparatus (not shown). (Image courtesy of Heat Island Group, Berkeley Lab)

The reflectance of outer building surfaces is often reduced by soiling and/or weathering processes such as deposition of soot, mineral dust, microbiological growth and UV exposure. This can increase the need for cooling energy by making initially bright (cool) surfaces darker (warmer).

The Advanced Surfaces Project, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, focuses on better understanding the deposition of soiling materials and developing laboratory methods to mimic natural aging processes for roof surfaces. Results from this research will be used to create an accelerated aging protocol to predict the effect of soiling and weathering on reflectance.

Contact

Hugo Destaillats
Principal Investigator
(510) 486-5897

Ronnen Levinson
Principal Investigator
(510) 486-7494

Mohamad Sleiman
Research Scientist
(510) 486-4678

Resources: 
LBNL International Workshop on Advances in Cool Roof Research