A technological advantage on the construction market becomes an important criterion positioning companies and investors. More and more often it also applies to thermal performance of buildings, especially industrial facilities. COOL-R proposes a modern solution which allows you to stand out from the competition and successfully reduce the interior temperature of the construction project by up to 10°C. How does the cool roof technology work and how can it effectively support air conditioning?
The creation of appropriate thermal conditions in construction projects is often challenging, especially due to the constantly rising average annual temperatures. Industrial facilities require a stable temperature during most of the year, which results in high energy consumption or adoption of solutions with limited effectiveness, such as mechanical ventilation. The problem becomes even more severe in buildings where it is impossible to install air conditioning due to limitations arising from technical requirements or when the investment cost is too high for the investor. Moreover, air conditioning equipment is not suitable for the increasingly frequent extreme temperatures. Their performance drops significantly when the condenser unit is placed on an overheated roof. Fortunately, there is a modern, simple and effective solution, which allows construction companies to stand out from the competition and investors to introduce considerable savings in production plants, warehouses, supermarkets, refrigeration plants or livestock buildings. The solution is a cool roof technology called COOL-R. Let us have a closer look at this revolutionary roof coating.
AN INNOVATIVE COOL ROOF
The COOL-R cool roof technology is a modern solution dedicated to warm, southern markets but its advantages will also become apparent in a temperate climate. A highly-reflective roof coating reduces the temperature of interiors. COOL-R forms a tight roof coating without joints, resistant to water and UV radiation. It creates a high-quality shield reflecting sunlight. Thanks to that, we are able to reduce the temperature of the roof coating and the interior under the roof. The results are impressive. COOL-R has a very high Solar Reflectance Index (SRI=107). It is able to reflect 86% of sunlight and transfers up to 85% of the heat back to the atmosphere, which results in the reduction of temperature of up to 10 degrees Celsius under the roof.
The roof surface temperature depends not only on the colour of the material utilised but also its texture. In the summer, a coating made of metal sheets or synthetic membranes in shades of grey reaches the average temperature of 40°C. In identical conditions, a coating made of bitumen or anthracite metal sheets reaches up to 80°–85°C. Colour is not the only factor that matters; the roof coating material structure and its emissivity (the speed and effectiveness of emitting the absorbed heat) do, too. COOL-R creates a smooth, white surface reflecting most of the light energy, which prevents the increase of the roof’s temperature.
Hotel Malaga, Spain
It does not matter whether the roof is new or renovated, covered with bituminous mass, membranes, roofing felt or metal sheets. It is very easy to apply. The COOL-R roof coating can be spread using a roller or sprayed, and the surface becomes resistant to rain after only 90 minutes. There is no need to close the building for the purpose of renovating the roof coating — the facility can operate during the application of the coating, as opposed to other kinds of coating, where the old layer needs to be removed before a new one can be applied.
COVID-19 AND A TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANTAGE
Despite initial fears related to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the construction sector in Poland has not slowed down and is coping with the current crisis well. Government regulations did not stop construction projects, unlike other European countries, such as Belgium or Austria. According to the report “Sektor budownictwa w obliczu COVID-19” (“Construction sector in the face of COVID-19”) prepared by the Polish Association of Construction Employers (PZPB), large construction companies reduced their performance by no more than 20%. The construction market is constantly growing and becoming increasingly competitive. What should be done to stand out from other companies and investments? Firstly, implement the latest construction solutions. One of them is undoubtedly the cool roof technology.
COOL-R is an attractive investment opportunity with a quick return of incurred costs. As a result, construction companies can offer to investors modern solutions that meet highest quality standards. COOL-R allows companies to obtain additional points in LEED and BREEAM certifications, which improves the image of the company. It is an environmentally friendly solution with Environmental Product Declaration type II and III. Thanks to the cool roof technology, we reduce the amount of energy consumed by air conditioning equipment, which results in the reduction of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere.
São Paulo-Guarulhos Airport
PROFITS FROM THE COOL-R COATING
A lower temperature inside rooms leads also to considerable savings in facility operational costs. As a result of a lower thermal balance of the building, we can use smaller air conditioning systems or remove the installation altogether. It also helps avoid additional operational costs. Not only those related to the operation and maintenance of air conditioning equipment, but also the costs of roof coating. By eliminating the two main factors contributing to the ageing of roofs — high temperature and UV radiation — we increase their durability by up to 25 years.
Simple application and additional benefits from a competitive advantage resulting from introducing new and investor-friendly technologies make COOL-R a solution worth recommending to every modern construction company. Guarantee of additional benefits and considerable building operational savings can become a strong bargaining chip in winning over investors who face the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. COOL-R can become a modern alternative to air conditioning attracting investors searching for real and effective savings.
