accelerated ageing

The airtightness of new buildings has significantly improved in the last two decades thanks to building energy performance regulations. However, until now, low knowledge is available about the evolution of buildings’ envelope airtightness. This work deals with the durability of buildings airtightness, and focuses on ways to better characterize it.

Clay roof tiles are widely used as roofing materials because of their good mechanical and aesthetical properties. The exposure to atmospheric agents and, most of all, to pollutants and smog affects negatively the solar reflectance of a tile surface. The aim of this study is to analyze the influence of ageing on the solar reflectance of clay roof tiles. We studied samples provided by manufacturer in Greece and USA. Samples were coated with either organic or inorganic coatings.

The improvement of the urban microclimate combined with the reduction of the energy loads is a highly important target that requires the research and development of innovative solutions with advanced thermal and optical properties. Color changing thermochromic coatings being reflective in summertime and absorptive in wintertime can address to the demand of lower surface temperatures and lower cooling loads. The interaction though with the solar radiation results in the breaking of the chemical bonds and the degradation of their performance.