Cold roofs in Paraguay

Cold Roofs Project In Argentina, Brazil And Paraguay Seeks To Combat Climate Change

A group of researchers is seeking to transform the urban landscape in South America by implementing cold roofs using nanotechnology, a solution that will not only help combat climate change, but will also enable the production of hydrogen as a source of clean energy.

The project entitled “Promoting the energy and environmental resilience of cities through the development of cold roofs for urban cooling, CO2 capture and H2 production” is carried out within the framework of the Multilateral Call for Projects on Energy Transition.

Developed in collaboration with researchers from Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay, the project fosters the creation of a network of scientific knowledge that could provide similar solutions in other parts of the world. The integration of nanotechnology, chemistry and electrochemistry demonstrates the potential of science to generate positive environmental impact and create communities more resilient to climate change.

The initiative is based on the development of nano-coatings for roofs that reflect a higher percentage of solar radiation back into space, reducing the heat accumulated in cities. This approach, known as the “Albedo Effect”, contributes to mitigating urban overheating. In addition, the roofs will capture rainwater, which will be used in an electrochemical system to produce hydrogen, a key fuel for a sustainable energy future.

The project’s main objective is to decarbonise cities by offsetting carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions and reducing the energy consumption of buildings. According to the researchers, cool roofs could significantly improve environmental quality, lower urban temperatures and reduce the effects of heat waves on people’s health.

The urban environmental study will be implemented in the Itaembé Guazú neighborhood in Posadas, Argentina, known as the first island of cold roofs in Latin America. This pilot cold roofs project will serve as a reference to expand the technology to other regions of the continent.

Not only will cold roofs reduce temperatures in homes, they will also reduce the use of air conditioning, which means energy and economic savings. If implemented on a large scale, this technology could transform South American cities into more habitable and sustainable spaces, laying the foundations for a transition towards clean energy and a low-carbon economy.

This project was selected within the framework of the Regional Call for R&D Projects in Energy Transition 2023 of the regional agencies of the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), the National Agency for Research and Innovation (ANII) of Uruguay, the National Council for Science and Technology (CONACYT) of Paraguay and the Research Support Foundation of the State of São Paulo, Brazil (FAPESP). This call was made within the framework of a cooperation project between ANII and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), “Support for research and innovation in Latin America and the Caribbean through regional cooperation”.

The Principal Investigators of the project are Prof. Dr. Maria Fatima Yubero from the Faculty of Chemical Sciences, National University of Asuncion (FCQ-UNA), Paraguay, Prof. Dr. Noelia Liliana Alchapar, Institute of Environment, Habitat and Energy INHAE-CONICET, Mendoza, Argentina and Prof. Dr. Lia Toledo Moreira Mota, Polytechnic School/EP/PUCCAMPINAS, Pontifical Catholic University, Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Within the framework of this proposal, a questionnaire has been designed. Those interested in helping the cold roofs project can do so by completing the questionnaire at this link.