Solar Reflectance Index (SRI)

determination according to ASTM

1980-11
Report n C181067
Page number 4
FRITTA, S.L.
Castellón, March, 8th 2018
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1. Background
In March 2018, the Instituto de Tecnología Cerámica (ITC) received from FRITTA , S.L. three tiles
with the following references:

 Tile 1: Regular tile.

 Tile 2: Cool tile.

 Tile 3: Terrazzo

The determination of the solar reflectance index (SRI) according to the standard ASTM E1980-11,
of the three tiles was requested.

2. Experimental

2.1. Solar reflectance index determination (SRI)

Solar Reflectance Index (SRI) was determined according to the standard ASTM E1980-11 “Standard
Practice for Calculating Solar Reflectance Index of Horizontal and Low-Sloped Opaque Surfaces.”

Thermal emissivity at ambient temperature was measured with an emissometer SSR-ER V6 by

Devices & Services Company, calibrated against standards of known emissivity.

To determine solar reflectance and solar absorptance a solar spectral reflectometer SSR-ER V6 by
Devices & Services Company were used. Both parameters were calculated according to the standard
ASTM G173-03.

Absorptance of the surface of a material, , is its effectiveness in absorbing radiant energy. It is the
fraction of the incident radiation absorbed by a surface. Absorptance depends on the color and
texture of a surface and its value varies with the wavelength of the incident radiation (the spectral
distribution of the irradiation). There are different absorptances, depending on the spectral
distribution of irradiation. The most common are solar, visible and thermal absorptance. Solar
absorptance represents an integrated average over spectral solar irradiation, comprising the visible,
near infrarred and ultraviolet spectral regions. Solar absorptance decisively influences the
temperature reached by a surface irradiated by the sun.

For opaque materials, absorptance ( and reflectance (ρ ) are related by

 + ρ= 1

where  is the absorptance and ρ the reflectance, hence knowlewdge of a property implies
knowledge of the other.

3. Results
Tables 1 and 2 show the solar reflectance index (SRI) values of the tiles for the three convective
coefficients detailed in the standard ASTM E1980-11 wich correspond to low-, medium- and high-
wind conditions. Solar reflectance (ρ), solar absorptance () and thermal emissivity (ε) are also
included. The SRI values of the tile “Terrazzo” in Table 1 were calculated with the mean values of
solar reflectance (ρ) and solar absorptance (), as the tile has not a homogeneous color.
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Table 1. Solar reflectance index (SRI) for “Regular tile”, “Cool tile” and mean values for the tile “Terrazzo”.

Solar reflectance index (SRI)

Convective coefficient Terrazzo

Regular tile Cool tile
(W/(m2 K)) (mean value)
5
78 97 65
(low-wind condition)
12
80 98 68
(medium-wind condition)
30
82 98 69
(high-wind condition)

Table 2. Solar reflectance (ρ), solar absorptance () and thermal emissivity (ε) of ”Regular tile”, “Cool tile” and
mean values for the tile “Terrazzo”.

Solar reflectance Solar absorptance Thermal emissivity

Tile
(ρ) () (ε)

Regular tile 0.67 0.33 0.82

Cool tile 0.79 0.21 0.83

Terrazzo (mean value) 0.58 0.42 0.86

Six solar reflectance measurements were taken for the tile “Terrazzo” and a significant difference
between the resulting values was observed. This is due to the fact that the “Terrazzo” surface is not
homogeneous, as can be observed in Figure 1. It is worth noting that 43% of solar irradiation is in
the visible range of the spectrum, so solar reflectance depends on surface color.

Table 3 shows the solar reflectance index values (SRI) calculated with the obtained maximum (0.62)
and minimum (0.53) solar reflectance values from the six experimental measurements done.

Figure 1. General aspect of the tile “Terrazo”

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Table 3. Solar reflectance index (SRI) calculated with the solar reflectance values maximum (0.62) and minimum
(0.53) of the six experimental measurements on the tile “Terrazzo”.

Solar reflectance index (SRI)

Solar reflectance (ρ): 0.62 Solar reflectance (ρ): 0.53

Convective coefficient
Solar absorptance (): 0.38 Solar absorptance (): 0.47
(W/(m2 K))
Thermal emissivity (ε): 0.86 Thermal emissivity (ε): 0.86
5
72 59
(low-wind condition)
12
74 62
(medium-wind condition)
30
75 63
(high-wind condition)