Chairman: K. Wayne Lee
Scope
The urban cityscape is filled with man-made materials that absorb the suns light. Darkly colored roads and roofs have replaced surface area which was once predominantly vegetated lands. Many of these man-made surfaces are also impermeable and typically dry. For these reasons summertime ambient temperatures in cities are typically warmer than those of rural areas. On a sunny summer day city temperatures can be up to 4oC (8°F) higher than rural areas. This phenomenon is known as the heat island effect and it can have several negative impacts to the environment and human health.
Heat island can lead to increased air conditioning use which puts a strain on a city energy grid. This increased demand for cooling can amount to a 5-10% increase in peak electricity. One estimate shows that temperature increase from heat island can account for up to 1.5 gigawatts of energy. This increase correlates to increased emissions from municipal power plants. Therefore the heat island effect contributes to problems with air quality including smog formation.
Cool pavements are defined as a class of materials that increase reflectivity of sun light without losing their structural properties. Cool pavements use different types of amendments to keep their surface temperature low. There are many other benefits associated with cool pavements as well, e.g., longer lifetime of pavement, lower initial costs of the asphalt binder, and savings on street lighting and signs, etc. Some examples of cool pavements include: modified asphalt pavements using lightly colored aggregate; resin based pavement; permeable, porous and/or rubberized pavements; chip seals with lightly colored aggregates.
Recently, more exciting approaches to reduce heat island effects and global warming have been identifies, i.e., solar energy harvesting and conversion with potential economic efficiency substantially beyond that of current technology. Thus, there is a need to investigate novel methods to harvest solar energy from road pavements by asphalt technologists.
Strategic Plan
To investigate novel methods to harvest solar energy from roadway pavements, following tasks can be carried out new work group:
(1) Review literatures and existing practices to investigate novel methods to harvest solar energy from asphalt pavement.
(2) Generate different approaches to capture solar energy from asphalt pavements.
(3) Formulate conceptual design of systems to generate electricity.
(4) Prepare the feasibility study report for the detailed and comprehensive study.
Members
Mallick Rajib (V. Chair) Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI)
Wang Linbing (Secretary) Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Lee Hosin "David" University of Iowa
Huang Baoshan University of Tennessee
Haddock John E. Purdue University
Dawson Andrew University of Nottingham
Kim Sangsoo Ohio University
Kercher Alan S. KEI President
Harvey John University of California at Davis
Yang Sze URI
Park Kyungwon US Army COE Seoul Branch
Gregory Otto URI Chemical Engineering
Kim Kyungsuk Brown University
Kent Chris Island Solar
Chango Henry D’Ambra Construction Company
Xu Rongqiao Zhejiang University
Wang Fujian Zhejiang University
Lee Kwangho Korea Expressway Corporation
Eum Joo Yon Korea Expressway Corporation
Seo Youngguk Korea Expressway Corporation
Kwon Soo Ahn Korea Institute of Construction Technology
Yi Jaejun Chonbuk National University
Jung Hyung-Jo Korean Adv. Institute of Science and Technology
Suh In-Soo Korean Adv. Institute of Science and Technology
Kim Jae Young Seoul National University
Yeo Myung Suk Seoul National University
Bergado Denes T. Asian Institute of Technology (AIT)
Correia Andy University of Rhode Island
Neilan Brett University of Rhode Island
Hulen Mike Novotech