Dermacolor Cool Roof
Dermacolor Cool Roof is a high-reflectance synthetic resin-based white paint in water emulsion, which thanks to a special formulation containing glass micro-spheres, is used to protect bitumen-polymer waterproofing membranes against UV radiation, significantly lowering the surface temperature (by up to 40°C with respect to black membranes). This attenuates the urban heat island effect and reduces damage to materials, giving a considerable energy saving due to reduced use of the air conditioning system of the building. The solar reflectance index (SRI) is the best way to assess materials that may be used for “cool roofs”; this value is calculated with a complex formula, that measures the thermal properties of a material; the higher the SRI, the greater a material reflects sunlight. The values range from 0 (for standard black with reflectance of 0.05 and emissivity of 0.90) to 100 (for standard white with reflectance of 0.80 and emissivity of 0.90). Materials with high SRI are the best solution for “cool roofs”. Bitumen membranes, that have a negative SRI (-1), for example, would not be a good choice for a cool roof; a white-slated membrane (with SRI of approximately 28) would be more efficient, but the best solution is the use of high-reflectance materials with SRI above 100. Please contact the Waterproofing Technical Department at APTC Australia 1300 394 239 for further assistance.