Solar-Powered Outdoor cooling
This mobile cooling station provides on-demand heat stress relief without air conditioning or architectural enclosure. It consists of cooling panels using an innovative technology providing solar-powered radiant cooling with no condensation in hot and humid climates.
The Cooling Pavilion is a lightweight, deployable structure that demonstrates how radiant cooling can function effectively in hot and humid climates, without condensation or unwanted convection. Its three solar-powered cooling panels, placed on the sides and overhead, absorb radiant heat directly from the human body to expand the thermal comfort zone.
A reflective Mylar roof deflects solar radiation while shading both people and panels, thereby enhancing performance and comfort. To optimize efficiency, we conducted solar radiation studies to determine the best orientation, ensuring that between 2–5 PM (pavilion’s prime operating hours) the panels are powered effectively while visitors remain comfortably shaded.
With its mobile and modular design, the pavilion can be exhibited anywhere, making the science of radiant cooling both visible and experiential.
Credits:
Cooling Panel Development: Clearly Cool
Design and construction:
Thermal Architecture Lab: Eliott Haddad, Qinming Hou, Hong Wei
Funding: Ramboll Foundation and Kleinman Center for Energy Policy
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