Absorbed Solar Radiation

Solar radiation absorbed by various materials

In general the solar energy absorbed can be approximated by the surface color

Substance	Absorb Factor
Brick, glazed	0.35
Brick, common light red	0.55
Brick, common red	0.68
Brick, wire cut red	0.52
Brick, blue	0.89
Limestone, light	0.35
Limestone, dark	0.50
Sandstone, light grey	0.62
Sandstone, red	0.73
Marble, white	0.44
Marble, dark	0.66
Granite, reddish	0.55
Steel, vitreous enameled green	0.76
Steel, vitreous enameled dark red	0.81
Steel, vitreous enameled blue	0.80
Iron, galvanized new	0.64
Iron, galvanized dirty	0.92
Iron, galvanized white washed	0.22
Copper, polished	0.18
Copper, tarnished	0.64
Lead, old	0.79
Asbestos cement, roof tiles old	0.83
Asbestos cement, roof tiles red	0.69
Asphalt roofing, new	0.91
Asphalt roofing, old	0.82
Bitumen-covered roofing sheet, brown	0.87
Slate, blue grey	0.87
Tile, clay red	0.64
Tile, concrete uncolored	0.65
Tile, concrete black	0.91

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