Specifically Terrestrial Albedo Factor
When walls or exposed roofs (either flat or pitched) are selected then the color (and hence reflectance values) may also be defined by clicking on the Define color buttons in both the Wall Details and the Ceiling Details forms. Scientifically, varying reflectance as a function of surface color is described under the phenomenon known as albedo factor.
Please make no mistake. Contracts have been won or lost and installations have failed because of poor understanding of reflectance and Albedo factors!
Typical terrestrial albedo factors.
Fresh asphalt | 0.04 |
Open ocean | 0.6 |
Worn asphalt | 0.12 |
Coniferous forest | 0.08 to 0.15 |
Deciduous trees | 0.15 to 0.18 |
Bare soil | 0.17 |
Green grass | 0.25 |
Desert sand | 0.40 |
New concrete | 0.55 |
Ocean ice | 0.50 to 0.70 |
Fresh snow | 0.80 |
As can be seen, the higher the value the more reflective the surface. Then conversely of course lower values correspond to darker surfaces.
See also: