Building Envelope Carrier Layer Thermal Radiation Reflection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing building envelope technologies fail to efficiently reduce thermal energy losses and heating energy consumption, often requiring vapor-coating of individual elements and using insulating materials, which can be costly and resource-intensive.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a heat-radiation-reflecting enveloping structure using a thin, metal or metal-coated carrier layer with low emissivity, combined with a stationary air layer and a high emissivity outer surface, to reflect thermal radiation and minimize energy transfer between the building and its environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If vapor-coating of individual elements is used to create heat-reflecting facing shell, then heat radiation reflection is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the building envelope into distinct functional layers: a heat-reflecting carrier layer (e.g., aluminum foil) and an outer cladding layer. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function independently, simplifying the overall manufacturing process compared to vapor-coating individual elements while maintaining effective heat radiation reflection.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite material construction by combining a heat-reflecting carrier layer (such as metal foil with low emissivity) with an outer cladding layer. This composite structure achieves superior heat radiation reflection properties without requiring complex vapor-coating processes on each individual element, thus reducing manufacturing complexity while improving thermal energy loss reduction.
2Loss of energy
If insulating materials are used to reduce thermal energy losses, then heating energy consumption is reduced, but material cost and resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and utilizes the building's existing thermal mass and outer surface as functional components. By applying a heat-reflecting carrier layer with low emissivity to the existing envelope structure, the system leverages what already exists rather than adding substantial insulating materials, thereby reducing heating energy consumption without proportionally increasing material quantity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the radiative heat transfer parameters by applying a carrier layer with low emissivity (high reflectivity) to the building envelope. This parameter change in surface properties significantly reduces thermal energy losses through radiation without requiring large quantities of insulating materials, thus reducing both heating energy consumption and material resource consumption.
3Loss of energy
If heat-reflecting carrier layer is applied to outer surface, then thermal radiation reflection is improved, but manufacturing simplicity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The heat-reflecting carrier layer is applied to the building envelope as a preliminary step before installing the outer cladding. This preliminary action establishes the heat reflection function early in the construction process, and the subsequent cladding installation becomes a simpler overlay process rather than requiring complex integration of reflective properties into the final envelope structure.
4Loss of energy
If air layer is introduced between carrier layer and outer surface, then thermal insulation is improved, but structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the air layer function with the existing building envelope structure. The air layer is introduced as a simple spacing mechanism between the carrier layer and outer surface, combining the insulation function with the structural envelope rather than requiring a separate complex insulation system. This integration maintains thermal insulation while minimizing additional structural complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Significantly reduces thermal energy losses and heating energy consumption by reflecting thermal radiation, thereby reducing the need for fossil fuels and insulating materials, while maintaining thermal comfort with low energy expenditure.
Implementation Method 1
a carrier layer (2) which is stretched over the spacer elements (7), wherein the carrier layer (2) has a surface facing the outer surface (4) of the building, on which surface heat-radiation-reflecting material is applied
Implementation Method 2
the carrier layer (2) has an average emissivity ε in the direction of the surface normal of a layer surface of the carrier layer (2) of less than 0.15, preferably of less than 0.10
Implementation Method 3
a layer of air (6) between the outer surface (4) of the building and the carrier layer (2)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
The invention relates to a envelope structure (1) for a building, comprising a inner-sided inner layer (3) with or without an insulating layer (7), and an outer layer (2), also comprising a heat-reflecting layer (4) which is adjacent to the inner-sided side (5) of the outer layer and the heat-reflecting surface borders the air layer (10). According to the invention, the inner layer and the outer layer are anchored together due to a plurality of statically active anchoring elements such that an air layer (10) is formed between the inner layer and the outer layer, said air layer being adjacent, on the inner side, to the heat-reflecting layer (4) which is traversed by the statically active anchoring elements (9).