Roofing Knowledge Articles

Many urban and suburban areas have higher temperatures than their rural surroundings. This temperature difference indicates that they are urban heat islands. The annual mean air temperature in a city of a million or more people can easily be 1 to 4°C warmer than in the rural surroundings. On a clear, calm night the difference can measure even 12°C or more. The main cause of urban heat island effect is the modification of the land surface in cities. Natural vegetation is replaced by the built environment. Most surfaces of new structures are characterized by low solar reflectance and high impermeability. Additionally, they are often built with high-density materials which absorb great amounts of thermal energy and release it as heat.

Cool roofs are one of the most effective and easiest solutions to increase the thermal comfort of buildings and reduce cooling costs in hot climate countries with high solar radiation and outdoor temperatures. Brunel University London, in cooperation with the European Cool Roofs Council, Sika Services AG and the University of Technology in Kingston, evaluated a project in Jamaica to study how the application of a solar roof can affect the thermal comfort of residential buildings in hot climates.

There is a great deal of conversation in the media relating to offsite construction, modular buildings and modern methods of construction - the success of this approach is key to the future success of our construction industry. The challenge for component or material suppliers is to be able to transfer their ideas and knowledge to the specifiers and manufacturers.

This year has seen events that have re-shaped the world we live in. The world around us has seen generational shifts, with rapid transformations in IT, and advances in technology. Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) continues to move towards the heart of our construction industry in the UK. We understand that, for the offsite constructor, finding ways to increase PMV for the client, but keeping the manufacturing process as efficient as possible, can be challenging. We believe that it is the responsibility of key suppliers to assist this process, in whichever way possible. At Sika, we have the technology to support all areas of manufacture.

Cool roofs are typically covered with white membrane or reflective coating which reflects sunlight. Their energy efficiency can be measured with three main indicators: solar reflectance, thermal emittance and solar reflectance index.