Research Progress of Radiative Sky Cooling Materials and Applications in Building Cooling

As global temperature rises rapidly, the impact of refrigeration consumption on the growth of global electricity demand is becoming increasingly significant. Radiative sky cooling is an emerging passive cooling technology, which, through spectral manipulation, radiates energy as heat into outer space through the "atmospheric window", thereby lowering building temperatures without energy input. In recent years, with the development of radiative cooling materials (such as photonic crystals), radiative cooling has demonstrated potential applications not only at night but also under sunlight. This paper was aimed to review the principles and structural designs of radiative sky cooling technology from the perspective of material development and analyzes the challenges faced by integrated building-radiative cooling systems. Finally, by summarizing the applications of radiative cooling materials in cool roofs and building cooling systems, it is aimed to provide new insights into the preparation of sky radiative cooling materials.