Steel building manufacturers are now beginning to offer "cool paints" to provide customers with an energy efficient choice for pre-engineered commercial, industrial, agricultural, and residential steel buildings without sacrificing the look of the building or their bottom line.

AkzoNobel's Cool Chemistry® versions of CERAM-A-STAR® 1050 paint coatings are formulated with solar reflective pigments that work to reflect infrared radiation. This means that less solar energy is transferred to the interior of a structure as heat when compared to standard metal roofing coatings or traditional asphalt shingles. With their superior reflective qualities, the Cool Chemistry® series of Ceram-A-Star® 1050 paint coatings act as a thermal barrier to keep the inside of buildings cooler.

These "cool" coatings not only protect the environment but also put money back in the customer's pocket by providing huge savings on energy bills.

Energy costs for cooling can be reduced by up to 20% and peak cooling demand by up to 15 percent. These savings are realized through the pigmentation in the Cool Chemistry® series of coatings that work to increase the amount of solar energy that is reflected off the roof. Less heat buildup in a structure requires less energy for cooling and works to reduce cooling costs. Studies conducted by various federal agencies and independent organizations conclude that a cool metal roof can reduce the energy costs associated with cooling the interior of a building by up to 20% and reduce peak cooling demand by up to 15 percent.

There are two important concepts to consider when talking about cool roofing: solar reflectance and thermal emittance. The more important of these two is solar reflectance. This is the percentage of solar energy reflected away from a surface. The higher the solar reflectance value of a material, the more solar energy is reflected away from it. In the case of roofing, this means that the higher the solar reflectance value, the greater the amount of heat energy that is reflected away, and less heat energy is transferred to the interior of the building. Thermal emittance is a measure of how readily an object gives up stored heat. It has been clearly established that painted metal roofing has a high thermal emittance value compared to other roofing materials. For maximum cooling efficiency and maximum energy savings you want roofing with the highest possible thermal emittance, along with the highest possible solar reflectance. AkzoNobel Cool Chemistry® series of coatings provide you with both properties.

With the Cool Chemistry® series of coatings, the paint formula is optimized to achieve higher solar reflectance. The higher the solar reflectance value of a material, the more solar energy that is reflected from it. It should be noted that the improved reflective qualities of our Cool Chemistry® series are achieved without compromising long-term performance. Traditional asphalt shingle roofs have a solar reflectance of around 10-20%, whereas cool metal roofs have a solar reflectance of up to 70%. This means that a cool metal roof could reflect up to 70% of the sun's energy away from the surface, with only 30% being absorbed. Shingles, on the other hand, will absorb 80-90% of the sun's energy. The high solar reflectance of a cool metal roof translates into less heat transfer to the interior of a building, and less energy used for air conditioning and other cooling methods.

AkzoNobel's Cool Chemistry® series of coatings are warrantied against chipping, cracking, peeling, and blistering, with a choice of twelve environmentally friendly colors, and are designed to comply with Energy Star guidelines for steep slope roofs. The Energy Star designation means that energy efficient "cool" paint coatings for metal buildings will help lower your cooling costs and at the same time will be good for the environment.