RADIACOOL
development validation of a new generation of radiative cooling for Building facades
This project toreduce the growing energy consumption associated with cooling buildings and industrial facilities through innovative, energy-efficient solutions. Its goal is to develop an architectural system based on radiative cooling, combining facade modules with a multifunctional nanocoating that optimizes the reflection of solar radiation and the emission of heat, thereby improving energy efficiency.
With the participation of companies across the entire value chain, the goal is to facilitate industrial implementation, potentially achieving reductions of up to 30% in energy consumption and promoting a sustainable and scalable solution.
General objective
Design, develop, optimize, and validate passive architectural solutions based on radiative cooling to improve energy efficiency in buildings; including new designs for facade elements and nanotechnology-based coatings that enable thermal control.
Specific objectives
Design and analyze different facade geometries to optimize the performance of solar panels.
To study the feasibility and scalability of module manufacturing.
Optimizing a spectrally selective nanocoating.
Optimization of the scaling process and application of the nanocoating.
Achieve a heat dissipation rate under direct sunlight of at least 100 W/m².
Principal Investigators
Team researcher
César Martín Gómez
BIOMA Institute and ETSA
Duration:
November 1, 2025 – October 31, 2028
Financing and financing entity:
project under the 2024 AEI partnership Call for Proposals. Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities; State research Agency research co-funded by the EU
Location:
Navarra, Álava, Valencia (a consortium of 7 participants)
core topic
WHY IS THIS project NECESSARY?
The Building sector manager % manager greenhouse gas emissions in Europe, with demand for air conditioning continuing to grow. Existing radiant cooling solutions have core topic limitations: they are designed for rooftops, they alter the building’s appearance, or they are difficult to scale up industrially.
RADIACOOL develops aluminum facade modules with spectrally selective nanocoatings that overcome these barriers, enabling us to achieve a potential reduction in energy consumption of up to 30%.
WHAT SOLUTIONS IS THE project EXPLORING?
RADIACOOL offers aluminum facade modules with radiative cooling in two configurations: a passive solution, in which the module directly as a cladding to reduce the surface temperature of the building envelope, and a hybrid solution, in which the modules are integrated into the building’s HVAC system to dissipate heat from the fluid. In both cases, the modules are optimized with a spectrally selective nanocoating to enhance their efficiency.
how does this project affect society?
Against the backdrop of increasingly frequent heat waves, RADIACOOL offers a solution that reduces reliance on air conditioning, resulting in energy and cost savings. The estimated reduction in energy consumption also leads to lower greenhouse gas emissions, while the use of recyclable aluminum and an easy-to-apply coating makes it easy to incorporate into both new construction and renovation projects.
Participating partners