Sydney, Jan 30 (IANS) Building roofs painted white are able to deflect heat and cool them by three percent on hot days, a study says.
“Reflective white paint on commercial building roofs reduces the energy used to cool the building,” said Dominique Hes, senior lecturer in sustainable architecture at the Melbourne University, who led the study.
For instance, if the roofs of the buildings in Melbourne were painted white, the city could potentially reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by 1.5 million kilos,” a university statement quoted Hes as saying.
“White roofs are a low cost solution in making buildings more sustainable, particularly for our older buildings. And if our air conditioners are not working as hard, there are financial benefits for buildings owners as well,” said Hes.
The research monitored the temperatures of buildings at the University of Melbourne’s Burnley Campus for their performance with and without white coatings. The buildings with white roofs experienced significantly cooler temperatures, both on the exterior and interior.
