Effect of thermal and cool paints on energy consumption of residential buildings
Corresponding Author(s) : Amirhossein Fathi
Future Energy,
Vol. 5 No. 3 (2026): In Press
Abstract
The paper aims to evaluate the technical and economic impact of cool and thermal paints on cooling and heating loads in different climates. To study the effect of thermal and cool paints, DesignBuilder software has been chosen. The sample under examination is a standard five-story residential building in Iran, where the ratio of painted wall area to total surface area is 49. In this building, the heating system is natural gas-based, and the cooling system is electricity-based, each with different prices and tariffs. The cooling and heating loads for three paint colors—black, gray, and white—on this building were examined in four cities: Bushehr, Shiraz, Tehran, and Tabriz, which have hot desert (BWh), hot semi-arid (BSh), and cold semi-arid (BSk) climates, respectively. According to the simulation results, cool paints have resulted in a 3% to 10% reduction in cooling load. The white paint has the highest percentage reduction in cooling load, and its impact on cooling load is greater in colder regions. Thermal paints have led to a 7% to 50% reduction in heating load, and according to the simulation results, the percentage reduction in heating load energy is greater in warmer regions.
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- G. Heidarinejad and H. Pasdarshahri, "Potential of a desiccant-evaporative cooling system performance in a multi-climate country," International Journal of Refrigeration, vol. 34, pp. 1251-1261, 2011.
- S. Golkar, M. Baneshi, and A. Fathi, "An integrated framework for optimum planning and operating solar energy conversion technologies in buildings," International Journal of Energy Research, vol. 46, pp. 16476-16499, 2022.
- L. Pérez-Lombard, J. Ortiz, and C. Pout, "A review on buildings energy consumption information," Energy and buildings, vol. 40, pp. 394-398, 2008.
- M. González-Torres, L. Pérez-Lombard, J. F. Coronel, I. R. Maestre, and D. Yan, "A review on buildings energy information: Trends, end-uses, fuels and drivers," Energy Reports, vol. 8, pp. 626-637, 2022.
- N. Kapilan, A. M. Isloor, and S. Karinka, "A comprehensive review on evaporative cooling systems," Results in Engineering, vol. 18, p. 101059, 2023.
- Y. Xuan, F. Xiao, X. Niu, X. Huang, and S. Wang, "Research and application of evaporative cooling in China: A review (I)–Research," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, vol. 16, pp. 3535-3546, 2012.
- A. H. N. Al-Mudhafar, "Innovative heat transfer enhancements for thermal energy storage systems based on phase change materials," University of Sheffield, 2019.
- D. K. Bhamare, M. K. Rathod, and J. Banerjee, "Passive cooling techniques for building and their applicability in different climatic zones—The state of art," Energy and Buildings, vol. 198, pp. 467-490, 2019.
- J. H. Park, B. Y. Yun, S. J. Chang, S. Wi, J. Jeon, and S. Kim, "Impact of a passive retrofit shading system on educational building to improve thermal comfort and energy consumption," Energy and Buildings, vol. 216, p. 109930, 2020.
- R. Pacheco, J. Ordóñez, and G. Martínez, "Energy efficient design of building: A review," Renewable and sustainable energy reviews, vol. 16, pp. 3559-3573, 2012.
- M. Košir, T. Gostiša, and Ž. Kristl, "Influence of architectural building envelope characteristics on energy performance in Central European climatic conditions," Journal of Building Engineering, vol. 15, pp. 278-288, 2018.
- S. Habibi, "The effect of building orientation on energy efficiency," Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy, vol. 26, pp. 1315-1330, 2024.
- S. A. Al-Sanea and M. Zedan, "Improving thermal performance of building walls by optimizing insulation layer distribution and thickness for same thermal mass," Applied Energy, vol. 88, pp. 3113-3124, 2011.
- M. Ozel, "Effect of insulation location on dynamic heat-transfer characteristics of building external walls and optimization of insulation thickness," Energy and Buildings, vol. 72, pp. 288-295, 2014.
- A. Antonaia, F. Ascione, A. Castaldo, A. D’Angelo, R. F. De Masi, M. Ferrara, et al., "Cool materials for reducing summer energy consumptions in Mediterranean climate: In-lab experiments and numerical analysis of a new coating based on acrylic paint," Applied Thermal Engineering, vol. 102, pp. 91-107, 2016.
- K. Jiang, K. Zhang, Z. Shi, H. Li, B. Wu, O. Mahian, et al., "Experimental and numerical study on the potential of a new radiative cooling paint boosted by SiO2
- microparticles for energy saving," Energy, vol. 283, p. 128473, 2023.
- D. Dias, J. Machado, V. Leal, and A. Mendes, "Impact of using cool paints on energy demand and thermal comfort of a residential building," Applied Thermal Engineering, vol. 65, pp. 273-281, 2014.
- H. E. Beck, N. E. Zimmermann, T. R. McVicar, N. Vergopolan, A. Berg, and E. F. Wood, "Present and future Köppen-Geiger climate classification maps at 1-km resolution," Scientific data, vol. 5, pp. 1-12, 2018.
- M. Krarti, Energy audit of building systems: an engineering approach: CRC press, 2020. ISBN-13: 978-0367820466
- "Repository of Building Simulation Climate Data," ed. https://climate.onebuilding.org/
References
G. Heidarinejad and H. Pasdarshahri, "Potential of a desiccant-evaporative cooling system performance in a multi-climate country," International Journal of Refrigeration, vol. 34, pp. 1251-1261, 2011.
S. Golkar, M. Baneshi, and A. Fathi, "An integrated framework for optimum planning and operating solar energy conversion technologies in buildings," International Journal of Energy Research, vol. 46, pp. 16476-16499, 2022.
L. Pérez-Lombard, J. Ortiz, and C. Pout, "A review on buildings energy consumption information," Energy and buildings, vol. 40, pp. 394-398, 2008.
M. González-Torres, L. Pérez-Lombard, J. F. Coronel, I. R. Maestre, and D. Yan, "A review on buildings energy information: Trends, end-uses, fuels and drivers," Energy Reports, vol. 8, pp. 626-637, 2022.
N. Kapilan, A. M. Isloor, and S. Karinka, "A comprehensive review on evaporative cooling systems," Results in Engineering, vol. 18, p. 101059, 2023.
Y. Xuan, F. Xiao, X. Niu, X. Huang, and S. Wang, "Research and application of evaporative cooling in China: A review (I)–Research," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, vol. 16, pp. 3535-3546, 2012.
A. H. N. Al-Mudhafar, "Innovative heat transfer enhancements for thermal energy storage systems based on phase change materials," University of Sheffield, 2019.
D. K. Bhamare, M. K. Rathod, and J. Banerjee, "Passive cooling techniques for building and their applicability in different climatic zones—The state of art," Energy and Buildings, vol. 198, pp. 467-490, 2019.
J. H. Park, B. Y. Yun, S. J. Chang, S. Wi, J. Jeon, and S. Kim, "Impact of a passive retrofit shading system on educational building to improve thermal comfort and energy consumption," Energy and Buildings, vol. 216, p. 109930, 2020.
R. Pacheco, J. Ordóñez, and G. Martínez, "Energy efficient design of building: A review," Renewable and sustainable energy reviews, vol. 16, pp. 3559-3573, 2012.
M. Košir, T. Gostiša, and Ž. Kristl, "Influence of architectural building envelope characteristics on energy performance in Central European climatic conditions," Journal of Building Engineering, vol. 15, pp. 278-288, 2018.
S. Habibi, "The effect of building orientation on energy efficiency," Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy, vol. 26, pp. 1315-1330, 2024.
S. A. Al-Sanea and M. Zedan, "Improving thermal performance of building walls by optimizing insulation layer distribution and thickness for same thermal mass," Applied Energy, vol. 88, pp. 3113-3124, 2011.
M. Ozel, "Effect of insulation location on dynamic heat-transfer characteristics of building external walls and optimization of insulation thickness," Energy and Buildings, vol. 72, pp. 288-295, 2014.
A. Antonaia, F. Ascione, A. Castaldo, A. D’Angelo, R. F. De Masi, M. Ferrara, et al., "Cool materials for reducing summer energy consumptions in Mediterranean climate: In-lab experiments and numerical analysis of a new coating based on acrylic paint," Applied Thermal Engineering, vol. 102, pp. 91-107, 2016.
K. Jiang, K. Zhang, Z. Shi, H. Li, B. Wu, O. Mahian, et al., "Experimental and numerical study on the potential of a new radiative cooling paint boosted by SiO2
microparticles for energy saving," Energy, vol. 283, p. 128473, 2023.
D. Dias, J. Machado, V. Leal, and A. Mendes, "Impact of using cool paints on energy demand and thermal comfort of a residential building," Applied Thermal Engineering, vol. 65, pp. 273-281, 2014.
H. E. Beck, N. E. Zimmermann, T. R. McVicar, N. Vergopolan, A. Berg, and E. F. Wood, "Present and future Köppen-Geiger climate classification maps at 1-km resolution," Scientific data, vol. 5, pp. 1-12, 2018.
M. Krarti, Energy audit of building systems: an engineering approach: CRC press, 2020. ISBN-13: 978-0367820466
"Repository of Building Simulation Climate Data," ed. https://climate.onebuilding.org/