Abstract
The present study deals with an original application of RR materials to the agriculture sector, evaluating the effectiveness of a high-reflective mulching membrane treated with glass micro-spheres and coupled with a drip sub-irrigation system. An experimental facility, in which this technology is exploited, has been set up in Perugia (Italy). Influences of the mulching membrane on hygrothermal properties of the soil were evaluated through humidity and temperature sensors during the monitoring campaign. Data from unmulched field section was used as a reference case. The effectiveness of this technology was evaluated by focusing on three days that are representative of as much weather conditions. The monitoring campaign conducted from April to May 2021 has demonstrated that the high-reflective mulching membrane can reduce the temperature and relative humidity fluctuations throughout the day. In addition, the mulching membrane can reduce the soil temperature at different depths (i.e. 0.05 m, 0.10 m, and 0.15 m). The highest soil temperature reduction was found equal to 8.95°C at 0.15 m. Basing on such preliminary results, a more detailed and extended monitoring campaign will be performed in summer conditions.
Highlights
Increasing urbanization process is significantly contributing to global warming [1]
The present study aims at proposing an original application of RR materials to the agriculture sector and urban greeneries
Influences of this technology were determined through a monitoring campaign conducted in both a laboratory-scale prototype and a small-scale experimental field in Perugia
Summary
Increasing urbanization process is significantly contributing to global warming [1]. The most recent census has found that around 54% of the global population is currently living in cities, and such amount is expected to reach 68% by 2050 [2]. Exploiting materials characterized by high solar reflectance index (SRI) as urban coatings has been largely recognized as an effective strategy to tackle the raising of the air temperature within the city [5,6,7]. Retro-reflective (RR) materials, which are usually employed in street signs to enhance their night-time visibility, have been recently proposed as building coatings. Such materials are widely appreciated in the building sector due to their ability to reflect backwards most of the incident solar radiation, reducing the energy absorbed and stored into the urban canyons through multiple inter-building reflections [8,9]. RR materials are high SRI coatings which present considerably lower surface temperature than traditional construction materials [10,11]
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