Harnessing retro-reflective materials for urban heat island mitigation: simulation insights and future directions

Kód výsledku v IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F68407700%3A21720%2F25%3A00385387" target="_blank" >RIV/68407700:21720/25:00385387 - isvavai.cz</a>

Výsledek na webu

<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s44327-025-00086-y" target="_blank" >https://doi.org/10.1007/s44327-025-00086-y</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s44327-025-00086-y" target="_blank" >10.1007/s44327-025-00086-y</a>

Jazyk výsledku

angličtina

Název v původním jazyce

Harnessing retro-reflective materials for urban heat island mitigation: simulation insights and future directions

Popis výsledku v původním jazyce

The urban heat island (UHI) effect presents significant challenges to energy efficiency, thermal comfort, and public health in densely populated areas. Traditional cooling strategies, such as high-albedo and diffusive coatings, often fail to address inter-surface heat retention in urban canyons, where narrow street geometries intensify heat buildup. This study explores the potential of retro-reflective (RR) materials as an innovative solution for UHI mitigation. Using Monte Carlo ray-tracing simulations, we examine the influence of bead size, refractive index, and solar incidence angle on RR material performance. Results reveal that RR materials achieve solar reflectance values up to 88%, outperforming traditional surfaces, especially in urban canyons with high aspect ratios (H/W = 2.0). Their superior adaptability ensures optimal light redirection during summer’s high solar angles and winter’s low angles, achieving annual reflectance improvements of up to 23% over diffusive coatings. These findings underscore the role of RR materials in reducing cooling energy demand while minimizing localized heat accumulation. However, limitations in simulation parameters, material durability, and real-world climatic variations highlight the need for further investigation. This research provides a foundation for integrating RR materials into sustainable urban design, contributing to energy efficiency and improved thermal environments in dense urban settings.

Název v anglickém jazyce

Harnessing retro-reflective materials for urban heat island mitigation: simulation insights and future directions

Popis výsledku anglicky

The urban heat island (UHI) effect presents significant challenges to energy efficiency, thermal comfort, and public health in densely populated areas. Traditional cooling strategies, such as high-albedo and diffusive coatings, often fail to address inter-surface heat retention in urban canyons, where narrow street geometries intensify heat buildup. This study explores the potential of retro-reflective (RR) materials as an innovative solution for UHI mitigation. Using Monte Carlo ray-tracing simulations, we examine the influence of bead size, refractive index, and solar incidence angle on RR material performance. Results reveal that RR materials achieve solar reflectance values up to 88%, outperforming traditional surfaces, especially in urban canyons with high aspect ratios (H/W = 2.0). Their superior adaptability ensures optimal light redirection during summer’s high solar angles and winter’s low angles, achieving annual reflectance improvements of up to 23% over diffusive coatings. These findings underscore the role of RR materials in reducing cooling energy demand while minimizing localized heat accumulation. However, limitations in simulation parameters, material durability, and real-world climatic variations highlight the need for further investigation. This research provides a foundation for integrating RR materials into sustainable urban design, contributing to energy efficiency and improved thermal environments in dense urban settings.

Druh

J_ost - Ostatní články v recenzovaných periodicích

CEP obor

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OECD FORD obor

20101 - Civil engineering

Projekt

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Návaznosti

R - Projekt Ramcoveho programu EK

Rok uplatnění

2025

Kód důvěrnosti údajů

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Název periodika

Discover cities

ISSN

3004-8311

e-ISSN

3004-8311

Svazek periodika

2

Číslo periodika v rámci svazku

Duben

Stát vydavatele periodika

CH - Švýcarská konfederace

Počet stran výsledku

18

Strana od-do

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Kód UT WoS článku

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EID výsledku v databázi Scopus

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