Project Outcomes
More than 2 billion people face “cooling poverty,” exposed to life-threatening heat without safe or affordable cooling. Passive daytime radiative cooling (PDRC) offers energy-free cooling, making it a promising solution for populations most vulnerable to extreme heat. However, PDRC products have largely been tested in laboratories and still require real-world validation.
The main goal of this project was to validate PDRC products in real-world settings. Different PDRC product types were applied to a housing settlement in Ahmedabad, India. In addition to collecting temperature and other product performance data, the project also collected health data from participants to understand the impact of the products on their health. Alongside this, the project focused on developing an economic analysis to determine the feasibility of scaling up the products and estimate the cost of the finished product.
Validating PDRC products is a crucial step toward their adoption as a widely used cooling solution. This project aims to support key stakeholders in making informed decisions by providing insights into the products’ technical feasibility and economic viability.
Key technology/tools used: Google Suite, Qualitative & Quantitative Research Skills, Techno-Economic Analysis, Excel Macros and VBA
Schematic diagram and heat transfer processes of PDRC emitter.
Attribution: Wu, Silong & Cao, Yongjian & Li, Yaqi & Sun, Wei. (2022). Recent Advances in Material Engineering and Applications for Passive Daytime Radiative Cooling. Advanced Optical Materials. 11. 10.1002/adom.202202163.
