- 21 Feb 2020 19:06
#15068835
Should white roofs, which reflect heat, be required on all new vehicles? There is already a move to encourage white roofs in housing and commercial buildings, which can reduce summer energy use by 10 to 40 percent.
Every 1,000 square feet of white roofing would offset 10 metric tons of CO2 emissions. Presumably, millions of square feet of white car roofing would offer similar results. Adding the extra white surface might also help offset the loss of reflective white polar ice due to global warming.
Of course, having an all-white car would serve the same purpose but American consumers would rebel against the conformity of one color. Some vehicle makers already offer a white roof option.
The white roof issue does raise an interesting question: Do black solar panels increase urban heat and, if so, how much does that offset the benefits of solar energy?
http://www.whiteroofproject.org/faq
Every 1,000 square feet of white roofing would offset 10 metric tons of CO2 emissions. Presumably, millions of square feet of white car roofing would offer similar results. Adding the extra white surface might also help offset the loss of reflective white polar ice due to global warming.
Of course, having an all-white car would serve the same purpose but American consumers would rebel against the conformity of one color. Some vehicle makers already offer a white roof option.
The white roof issue does raise an interesting question: Do black solar panels increase urban heat and, if so, how much does that offset the benefits of solar energy?
http://www.whiteroofproject.org/faq
google robert s urbanek