Hot roof, soaring electricity bills? Cool Roof buildings reduce heat and save on electricity costs.

Cool Roof is a roof or roof coating that reflects and dissipates heat instead of accumulating it within the building. Real Test results from BegerCool show that it can reduce heat accumulation on the roof surface by up to 9.9°C, lower indoor temperatures by up to 3°C, and save air conditioning costs by up to 33%, allowing buildings to operate more efficiently, reduce costs, and help lower heat for the entire city.

What is a Cool Roof building and why is it important?

A Cool Roof is a roofing system or roof coating designed to “reflect” sunlight and “release” heat from the building instead of the conventional roofs that absorb heat and transfer it inside. The basic idea is that when the roof is cooler, less heat enters the building. This is more relevant than you might think because the roof is the surface that receives direct sunlight the most in a building. In hot cities like Bangkok, the surface temperature of roofs in direct sunlight can soar several degrees higher than the air temperature. This excess heat causes air conditioners to work harder, leading to higher electricity bills and discomfort for people inside the building.

In the past, urban heat has not only been about comfort but has also impacted lives. In a previous article, we discussedthe risk of heat stroke from the urban heat crisisthat has claimed the lives of Thai people andhow to turn your home into a Cool Zonefor household safety. In Week 4, we are taking a step further from homes to “buildings” with measurable evidence.

How much can a Cool Roof building help?

Cool Roof provides measurable results, not just advertising claims, from a real testing project on test homes (Real Test) by BegerCool that has been measured continuously for over 10 years in collaboration with educational institutions. Key figures have been found in three areas:

• Reduce heat accumulation on the roof surface by up to 9.9°C The roof does not become a heat reservoir
• Reduce indoor temperatures by up to 3°C People inside the building feel more comfortable, and air conditioning works less hard
• Save air conditioning costs by up to 33%Clearly reduced building operating costs

Note: All figures are the maximum results from real tests on test homes under specified conditions. Actual results in each building may vary depending on roof conditions, chosen colors, and installation.

What makes this test result credible is the use of thermal imaging with Drone IR cameras to compare buildings using BegerCool Roof with conventional colored roofs in the same environment. The images clearly show that the same type of roof accumulates heat significantly differently when the color used is changed. When the roof is cooler, less heat enters the building.

How does a Cool Roof work under the REI principle?

A Cool Roof operates through three mechanisms known as REI, which work together to prevent heat from entering the building.

1. Reflection reflects solar radiation back before the roof absorbs it. Light colors and high-reflectance formulas can reflect more than dark colors.
2. Emission (Heat Release) Releases absorbed heat back into the atmosphere quickly, not retaining it in the roof material.
3. Insulation Slows down the transfer of residual heat from penetrating into the building’s interior.

The outcomes from the REI principle are threefold: Lower Indoor Temperature, Reduced Cooling Demand, and Extended Roof Lifespan, as the materials do not have to endure extreme hot-cold cycles throughout the day.

From homes to buildings to cooler cities

Cool Roofs not only benefit your building but also help reduce heat for the entire city when implemented on a large scale. This is the key connection of the “Cool Roof, Smart Choice” campaign as a whole.

We start from the Urban Heat Island phenomenon that Bangkok is currently facing, which causes the city to accumulate heat from vast amounts of concrete surfaces and roofs, followed by the real heatstroke crisis that has claimed lives in Thailand, and ways to transform homes into safe Cool Zones at the household level.

This article is the answer at the “city” level: each cooler roof, when combined with thousands of others, represents a reduction in the overall heat released back into the city. This is the meaning of the slogan Smarter buildings. Better cities. Smarter buildings one at a time create better cities overall.

How Cool Roof buildings are a worthwhile investment

Cool Roof is an investment that pays back through savings on electricity bills and longer-lasting roofs. For building owners and managers, the main values are fourfold:

• Reduce building operating costs Air conditioning costs can be reduced by up to 33%, which is an expense incurred every month. This reduction accumulates into significant savings over the long term.
• Increase comfort for building users Lower indoor temperatures lead to better performance from employees and building users.
• Extend roof lifespan Reduce the heat cycles that cause materials to deteriorate quickly.
• Buildings ready for the future Prepare buildings to cope with increasingly hotter weather every year.

In short, it’s Smart for buildings. Smart for business. Good for buildings and good for business at the same time.

FAQ Frequently Asked Questions about hot roofs

Q1: How many degrees can a Cool Roof building actually reduce the temperature?

A1: According to actual test results from BegerCool, it can reduce heat accumulation on roof surfaces by up to 9.9°C and lower indoor temperatures by up to 3°C. Actual results depend on building conditions, the color chosen, and installation conditions.

Q2: How much can a Cool Roof save on electricity bills?

A2: It can save up to 33% on air conditioning costs because when less heat enters the building, the air conditioning system operates less and uses less energy.

Q3: What type of buildings is a Cool Roof suitable for?

A3: It is suitable for buildings with large roof areas exposed to sunlight, such as office buildings, factories, warehouses, commercial buildings, and residential homes, especially in hot urban areas affected by the heat island phenomenon.

Q4: Does roof color affect heat accumulation?

A4: Yes, it has a clear effect. Drone IR photos show that roofs with the same surface can accumulate heat differently depending on the color used. Colors that reflect heat well will result in cooler roofs.

Conclusion

A Cool Roof is a transformation from a “heat accumulation source” to a “heat protection shield” that has been proven to reduce surface heat by up to 9.9°C, lower indoor temperatures by 3°C, and save up to 33% on air conditioning costs. It is both a worthwhile investment for buildings and part of creating a cooler and more livable city.

If you are reading this article for the first time, it is recommended to go back and understand the root causes of the heat island phenomenon in Bangkok and how to turn your home into a Cool Zone to see the overall picture of why a Cool Roof is a Smart Choice that should not be overlooked.