Green homes are so-called because every aspect of their construction — floors, walls, roofs — uses environmentally-friendly materials and methods. Cool roof coatings, in particular, is the key element that make roofs eco-friendly.
The importance of cool roof coatings is to prevent and reduce the buildup of high temperatures from roofs, which are exposed to the sun’s rays for most of the time during daytime. Solar radiation can penetrate the roof membrane and increase the temperatures in the inner spaces of the property. When heat is retained in the interiors, the mechanical cooling and heating systems work harder and increase energy spendings.
High energy cost goes against the principles of sustainable homes. When the home is green, it is supposed to require minimal energy in maintaining comfort in the living spaces within. Energy today is associated with the use of fossil fuels to generate electricity. Coal and petrol are burned for energy creation, whose by-products rise into the atmosphere as harmful green house gas emissions.
The soaring energy costs, which in turn drives our dependence on fossil fuels that are detrimental to the environment, plus the increasing heat-island effect felt in many congested areas as a result of global warming, compel the need for cool roofs to ward off solar radiation. Cool roofs aim to turn homes into near-zero-energy households. Cool roof coatings promote this energy-saving purpose.
