History
In 1860, a French scientist named Jean Claude Eugene Peclet experimented on the insulating effect of high and low emissive metals facing air spaces. Peclet experimented on a wide variety of metals ranging from tin to cast iron, and came to the conclusion that neither the color nor the visual reflectance were significant determining factors in the materials’ performance. Peclet calculated the reduction in BTUs for high and low emissive surfaces facing into various air spaces, discovering the benefits a radiant barrier in reducing the transfer of heat.
In 1925, German businessmen Schmidt and Dykerhoff filed for patents on reflective surfaces being used as building insulation because recent improvements in technology allowed low emissivity aluminum foil to be commercially viable. This became the launching pad for radiant barrier and reflective insulation around the world, and within the next 15 years, millions of square feet of radiant barrier were installed in the US alone. Within 30 years, radiant barrier was making a name for itself, and was included in projects at MIT, Princeton, and Frank Sinatra’s residence in Palm Springs, CA.
Read more about this topic: Radiant Barrier
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—Harold Rosenberg (1906–1978)
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—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)