Building facade surface for seasonal selectiveness of solar irradiation absorption and reflection

Abstract

Disclosed are various building facade surface configurations and related methods. An exemplary facade includes grooved cavities that are configured in a manner that reflects summer (cooling season) insolation and absorbs winter (heating season) insolation. The effective absorptivities of the exemplary facade for various cavity reflectance characteristics, i.e., a wide range of diffuse and specular reflectance characteristics, are evaluated using a Monte Carlo model. The calculations in an illustrated embodiment are performed for the latitude of 41° N where both heating and cooling loads are significant. Embodiments of facades and other structures are similarly within the scope of the disclosure for locations of different latitudes and longitudes.

1 . A structure adapted and configured to:
 a) reflect a majority of solar radiation in summer months by providing a reflective surface proximate an outside edge of a cavity in a surface of the structure, the reflective surface being adapted and configured to reflect solar radiation during summer months, wherein the surface of the structure is further arranged to substantially prevent direct solar contact with the cavity during summer months; and   b) absorb solar radiation in winter months by permitting direct solar contact with at least a portion of the cavity, the cavity being adapted and configured to permit incident direct solar radiation to undergo multiple reflections within the cavity.   
     
     
         2 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein the surface of the structure is adapted and configured to reflect more direct solar radiation during summer months than during winter months. 
     
     
         3 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein the surface of the structure is optimized to reflect solar radiation during summer months and to absorb solar radiation in winter months for a preselected latitude. 
     
     
         4 . The structure of  claim 3 , wherein the preselected latitude is between about 35° N and about 45° N. 
     
     
         5 . The structure of  claim 3 , wherein the preselected latitude is between about 35° S and about 45° S. 
     
     
         6 . The structure of  claim 3 , wherein the preselected latitude is between about 30° N and about 35° N. 
     
     
         7 . The structure of  claim 3 , wherein the preselected latitude is between about 30° S and about 35° S. 
     
     
         8 . The structure of  claim 3 , wherein the preselected latitude is between about 45° N and about 55° N. 
     
     
         9 . The structure of  claim 3 , wherein the preselected latitude is between about 45° S and about 55° S. 
     
     
         10 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein the structure is a building facade. 
     
     
         11 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein the structure is a roof of a building. 
     
     
         12 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein the structure is a storage tank. 
     
     
         13 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein the structure is a portion of a pipeline. 
     
     
         14 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein the structure is a shipping container. 
     
     
         15 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein the structure is a surface of a vehicle. 
     
     
         16 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein the cavity has a substantially rectangular cross section. 
     
     
         17 . The structure of  claim 16 , wherein the cavity is defined at least in part by two substantially parallel walls. 
     
     
         18 . The structure of  claim 17 , wherein the substantially parallel walls converge along a direction pointing into the structure. 
     
     
         19 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein the cavity has a substantially curved cross section. 
     
     
         20 . The structure of  claim 19 , wherein the cavity has a substantially hyperbolic cross section. 
     
     
         21 - 32 . (canceled)