On Thu, 03 Jul 2014 21:28:13 -0700, Jeff Liebermann
wrote:

...snip...
In some areas, white rocks and white roofs are required by code to
reduce air conditioning requirements. It's suppose to reflect the
sunlight instead of absorbing it. Now, you're telling me that the
collective wisdom of the local planning department might be wrong? Are
you sure?


Now you understand why I discount 'experts'

I do not know where the code is located but it is my understanding that in
AZ it is AGAINST the law in every municipality around these desert
communities to paint WHITE, too blinding, just not allowed. Instead, there
are a series of slightly darker/offwhite, desert colors, many named for
the city of origin trying to obtain some semblance of uniformity, each
contiaininng their own city name.

Yes direct sunlight onto a surface is reflected or absorbed, but walls are
not direct sunlight, if done properly. They're under eaves in mid day. I
even found that our garage interior at mid day was noticeably cooler with
the darker color than it was before. I assume radiation of heat OUTWARDS
became more dominant a heat transfer. What made me think of it was
thinking about how frost used to form on lawns at 38F degrees, night sky
radiation sucked the heat right out, In regions of Sahara many desert
populations wear a preference of dark clothing too. so thought I'd give it
a try. Now, during the transitional seasons, when neither run AIR nor
HEAT; the temperature range has narrowed to around 3 degrees, which is
very reasonable, before it varied 5-6 degrees. Wake up house cool, during
day heats to some temp, with the narrower range we don't even turn on the
Heat Pump System, irritating our utilities suppliers to no end, but saving
the US overall energy costs.