Development and thermoenergetic performance assessment of cool concrete tiles for roofing buildings in Brazil

• Grant number: 22/09123-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: December 01, 2022
• End date: September 02, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Applied Social Sciences - Architecture and Town Planning - Architecture and Urbanism Technology
• Principal Investigator: Kelen Almeida Dornelles
• Grantee: Wellington Souza Silva
• Host Institution: Instituto de Arquitetura e Urbanismo de São Carlos (IAU). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 24/01149-2 - Characterization and analysis of the aging effects of cool concrete tiles for Brazil and Italy, BE.EP.DR

Abstract

The use of coatings of high solar reflectance in the building envelope is a simple, affordable, and effective solution for reducing thermal gains by direct solar radiation. Although the market of cool materials has been dominated by organic membranes and coatings, cool tiles have stood out due to their low aesthetic impact. Most Brazilian research has focused on analyses and the understanding of thermal and optical properties (mainly solar reflectance) of paints, tiles, coatings, and other materials, and the literature lacks studies of the development of cool materials, especially tiles. This projects aims at the development, characterization, and assessment of a cool concrete tile, i.e., a high solar reflectance and high thermal emittance concrete tile, for roofing buildings in Brazil at an adequate cost-effectiveness. The assumption is the use of cool tiles improves the thermoenergetic performance of buildings and reduces the effects of urban heat islands, with relevant issues in regions of hot climate conditions such as Brazil. The experimental methodology will involve production of concrete tiles with reflective components (pigments or other elements), measurement of their physical, mechanical, thermal, and optical properties (spectral reflectance, thermal emittance, surface temperatures, and color parameters) and the effects exerted by natural and artificial aging, simulation of thermoenergetic performance, and an economic analysis for the Brazilian context. The data obtained will be investigated statistically (calculation of means and uncertainties and application of Tukey's test and other statistical treatments) and Spearman's correlation will verify the relationship between reflective components and measured parameters, which will also be compared with those of the traditional concrete tile. The project also aims at contributing to future studies on cool coatings and encouraging the development of new reflective materials in Brazil.