ABSTRACT

A roof can bring lot of heat into buildings during summers especially when there is high
amount of solar radiation. A roof that decreases heat ingress into the buildings by reflecting
and emitting the sun‘s heat back into the sky is said to be a cool roof. Solar reflectivity (SR)
and infrared emissivity (IE) are two main properties of the roof surface which determine
the performance of the cool roof. Some commonly available cool roofing materials in India
are: white cement, white elastomeric coating, reinforced aluminium foil, white ceramic tiles,
etc. All these material have different SR and IE values and their performance would degrade
with aging. India being a country with hot tropical climate, in most of its states there exist
a yearlong cooling requirement, and hence cool roof promises to be a worthy technology in
decreasing the cooling energy consumption. There are several direct and indirect benefits
of cool roof.

A roof with an ability to reflect and emit the sun‘s heat back to the sky instead of
transferring it to the buildings is said to be a cool roof. It has high solar reflectance and
thermal emittance values. Cool roofs are one of the important energy conservation
measures in buildings in countries like India.

In hot dry climates, it is estimated that almost half the urban peak load of energy
consumption is used to satisfy air-conditioning cooling demands in summer time. Passive
cool roof as a means of reducing energy cooling loads for satisfying human comfort
requirements in a hot climate. A designed algorithmic hybrid matrix was used to simulate
37 roof design probabilities alternating roof shape, roof material and construction. It is
recommended that the selected cool roof solution be combined with natural ventilation to
increase the indoor thermal comfort, and with passive heating strategies to compensate the
increase in heating hours. The application is intended for low cost residential buildings in a
hot dry climate.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 1

 TABLE OF CONTENT

Certificate

Declaration

Acknowledgement

Abstract

Chapter 1 – Introduction ……………………………………………………………..

1.1) Aim
1.2) Objective
1.3) Scope
1.4) Methodology
1.5) Limitation
1.6) What is cool roof
1.7) Need of cool roof
1.8) Present Scenerio of Cool Roof
1.9) Positive and Negative aspect of Cool Roof

Chapter 2 - Literature Review……………………………………………....................

2.1) Cool Roof and its Relevance

2.2) The Concept of the Cool Roof
2.3) Structure, Composition and Material performance of the Cool Roof

Chapter 3 - Cool Roof Materials and Technologies………………………………

3.1) Cool Roof Products

3.2) Cool Roof Materials
3.3) Climate Zone Anlaysis
3.4) Cool Roof

Chapter 4 - case studies

Analysis

COOL ROOF DESIGN 2

Chapter 5 - Effects of cool roof on requirement of cool roof insulation in
Institutional building in India

Design of cool roof in Jodhpur

Chapter 6 - Stimulation tool

Chapter 7 - Conclusion

COOL ROOF DESIGN 3

LIST OF FIGURES

COOL ROOF DESIGN 4

LIST OF TABLES

COOL ROOF DESIGN 5

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

COOL ROOF DESIGN 6

CHAPTER -1 INTRODUCTION

1.1) AIM
❖ To study and analyse about cool roof with present scenario of traditional roofs.
❖ In hot dry climates, it is estimated that almost half the urban peak load of energy
consumption is used to satisfy air-conditioning cooling demands in summer time.
❖ A cool roof is one of that reflects most of the incident sunlight and efficiently emits
some of the absorbed radiation back to the atmosphere, instead of conducting it to
the building.
❖ As a result the roof literally stays cooler, with lower surface temperatures, keeping
the building at a cooler and more constant temperature. the term, 'cool roof' refers
to the outer layer or exterior surface of the roof which acts as the key reflective
surface.
❖ These roofs have higher solar reflectance than a typical roof surface.
❖ The term 'cool roof' encompasses an extensive array of roof types, colors, textures,
paints, coatings, and slope applications.

1.2) OBJECTIVE

❖ To study present condition of the traditional roof and future evolution with cool
roofs.
❖ To analyses historical, social, ecological, psychological and architectural aspects of
cool roofs.
❖ To study about cool roofs and its construction techniques .

1.3) SCOPE

❖ Analyse solution for Cool Roof Design.

❖ Types of cool roofs
❖ Global population &, consumption are increasing very fast.
❖ According to “world resource institute” in the last 15 years production wastes are
increasing in spite of increasing efficiencies
❖ The ecological footprint has emerged as the world’s premier measure of humanity’s
demand on nature.

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 ❖ It is a measure of how much area of biologically productive land and water an
individual, population or activity requires to produce all the resources it consumes
and to absorb the waste it generates, using prevailing technology and resource
management practices.
❖ By measuring the footprint of a population, individual, city, business, nation, or all
of humanity—we can assess our pressure on the planet, which helps us manage our
ecological assets more wisely and take personal and collective action in support of
a world where humanity lives within the earth’s bounds..
❖ The ecological footprint is usually measured in global hectares. because trade is
global, an individual or country's footprint includes land or sea from all over the
world. ecological footprint is often referred to in short form as footprint. "ecological
footprint" and "footprint" are proper nouns and thus should always be capitalized.

1.4) METHODOLOGY

❖ The methodology implemented in this is based on an analytical literature study and

comparative simulation work for different cool roof methods. The literature study
was carried out to investigate and analyse possible roof solutions to hot climate,
with a focus on the climate.
❖ Two main variables were chosen: roof shape and material. These were
consecutively altered, which resulted in 37 different possibilities for roof
construction.
❖ The aim was to evaluate a broad number of cool roof enhancements capable of
extracting the most suitable energy efficient solutions in order to minimize heat
transfer from the top roof to the building envelope with minimum cooling hours in
the summer season. The efficiency of the 37 proposed cool roof solutions.
❖ By reflecting the incident solar radiation back into the atmosphere and reemitting
the absorbed portion of the incident radiation as infrared radiation, cool roofs result
in cooler air temperatures for the surrounding urban environment during hot
summer months.
❖ With lower daytime ambient temperatures, buildings and vehicles are confronted
by a smaller temperature differential – leading to additional energy savings and
subsequently a reduction in harmful emissions from power plants. While reducing

COOL ROOF DESIGN 8

 ambient air temperatures, cool roofs also improve air quality by curtailing or
eliminating smog formation.
❖ The research has been conducted various research papers, journals, and articles on
cool roofs. To study about the feasibility of cool roof in residence, institutional,
commercial sectors case studies have been referred.

1.5) LIMITATION OF THE PROJECT

❖ It is an evolving technology and not much explored in India. There are a lot of
limitation to climate according to Indian context. Also to implement in residence,
institutional, commercial sector might increase the initial cost of the project, though
in future it will make the cool roof cost effective.
❖ Increased need for heating in winter. During winter months, cool roofs increase
the need for heating energy in cold climates. However, in winter the sun stays low,
the days are short, and the skies are often cloudy, limiting the amount of sunlight
available to a roof.
❖ Glare. Glare from a bright white or silvery roof on a low-rise building may disturb
occupants of taller neighboring buildings. In this situation a cool-
colored (nonwhite) roof may be more appropriate for the shorter building.

1.6) WHAT IS COOL ROOF

❖ Cool roofs are one of the inexpensive passive strategies that are easy to install,
reduce heat gain and improve indoor thermal comfort in hot climates.
❖ Using cool roofs with good roof thermal properties during the initial design and
construction of the building, or when retrofitting, are usually more cost effective on
both the building and urban level, this can save a considerable amount of the energy
that is consumed in cooling.
❖ The cool roof as a solution to reduce the amount of energy used to satisfy cooling
demands during the summer.
❖ Several roof composition solutions as tools to reduce heat gain. The main idea is to
enhance the performance of cool roof construction composition through an
investigation of several alternatives and possibilities.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 9

 ❖ The effectiveness of different types of roof sections in hot climates. However, some
types do not conform to current conventional building techniques or they specify
materials.
❖ Better roof design, alone, is the way to reduce cooling loads or discomfort hours.
Thus, this present research aims to evaluate a broader range of possible varieties of
roof construction in terms of materials and shape; some elements of the research are
based on literature review alone but this has made available a wider field for
comparison and allows for better evaluation.
❖ A roof with an ability to reflect and emit the sun‘s heat back to the sky instead of
transferring it to the buildings is said to be a cool roof.
❖ It has high solar reflectance and thermal emittance values.
❖ Cool roofs are one of the important energy conservation measures in buildings in
countries like India.
❖ The importance of cool roof in historical architecture of India, the current trends,
and its relevance in codes and rating systems. Further, several cool roof materials
were installed on field, and were tested for performance over a year. From this, it
has been observed that ceramic tiles though provide lesser savings compared to the
white elastomeric coatings; they tend to have longer life providing a good payback
over time.

1.7) NEED’S OF COOL ROOF

❖ One way of reducing energy generation is to reduce the demand for air
conditioning. Instead of relying entirely on mechanical means which are electricity
dependent and generated mainly from fossil fuels, architects should invest time in
researching passive strategies to reach the best possible combination of low energy
and natural climatic control for their buildings.
❖ Then mechanical and active systems can become supplementary aids. Thermal
comfort in the summer is always a main concern in hot climate regions.
❖ Natural ventilation and passive cooling have traditionally been two important
features in vernacular architecture to achieve thermal indoor comfort. It has been
calculated that, in hot climate regions, from 70% to 80% of total energy consumption
is used to operate mechanical cooling systems.

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 ❖ There are indications that this is not only the case in the hot regions: research shows
that energy consumption related to cooling during the summer heat has been rising
recently in the slightly cooler climates.

1.8) PRESENT SCENERIO OF COOL ROOF DESIGN

to make roofs energy efficient, typically two types of techniques are followed: surface
treatments (cool roofs, radiant barriers) and thermal property modificatio ns (roof
insulation). the interplay between these two techniques has been studied using energy
simulations. roofs that have high solar reflectance and high thermal emittance stay cool in
the sun. a roof with lower thermal emittance but exceptionally high solar reflectance can
also stay cool in the sun. substituting a cool roof for a non-cool roof decreases cooling
electricity use, cooling power demand and cooling equipment capacity requirements,
while slightly increasing heating energy consumption. cool roofs can also lower the
citywide ambient air temperature in summer, slowing ozone formation and increasing
human comfort.

cool roofs provide numerous benefits at the micro level as well as the community level.
cool roofs conserve energy and enhance thermal comfort because the interior of a building
is subject to less thermal flux. they assist in mitigating the urban heat island effect, and
when installed comprehensively, can result in lowered ambient air temperatures on an
urban scale.

building level benefits

cool roofs reduce both the energy use and energy demand of a building. during the cooling
season, cool roofs reduce heat conduction through the roof during the day, and hence
reduce air-conditioning energy use. during sunny cold winter days, however, cool
roofs may cause .

1.9) POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE ASPECT OF COOL ROOF DESIGN

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COOL ROOF DESIGN 12
CHAPTER -2 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1) COOL ROOF AND ITS RELEVANCE

❖ India is a tropical subcontinent stretching between 8°4' and 37°6' north latitude, with
cooling requirement in most of its states.
❖ It‘s the seventh largest country in the world, with more than a billon population. In
the country, the construction industry plays a major role in its economy contributing
on an average 6.5% of the GDP.
❖ India produces around 660 billion kWh of electricity, and over 600 million Indians,
still have no access to electricity.
❖ This alarms the need of electricity and its savings in a developing country like India.
With a near consistent 8% rise in annual energy consumption in the residential and
commercial sectors, building energy consumption has seen an increase from 14% in
the 1970s to nearly 33% in 2004-05.
❖ With increasing temperatures, in already hot climates of India, the space cooling
demands for all the building types is increasing. Insufficient electricity production,
increased electrical energy consumption, extreme climates leading to human
discomfort, are some major reasons which drive today‘s construction industry in
search of some energy conservation and building performance, methods and means,
that help in overcoming this situation.
❖ Traditionally, white washing the roofs using lime and chalk is one common practice,
and act to reduce heat gain from roofs, among other energy conservation strategies
that are prevalent in India. Such roofs are called as cool roofs.

2.1.1 A cool roof and its properties

As defined by the Cool Roof Rating Council, a cool roof reflects and emits the sun‘s heat
back to the sky instead of transferring it to the building. The coolness of the roof is measure
of two properties: solar reflectance and thermal emittance. Both the properties are
measured from 0 to 1 and the higher the value, the cooler the roof.

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 Working of a cool roof

Roof reflectivity:
❖ A reflective roof is typically light in colour and absorbs less sunlight than a
conventional dark-colour roof. Less absorption of sunlight lowers the roof‘s surface
temperature, reducing the heat transfer through the roof. This property of the roof
makes it a ―Cool Roof .
❖ When the roof surface is painted white or treated white, the surface temperature of
the roof decreases. This further decreases the effective temperature difference
between the outdoor and the indoor thereby reducing the heat gain into the rooms
through the process of conduction which can be measured using the formula:
Q= UA(delta t)
Where,
Q= heat transfer rate (W)
U= Coefficient of heat transfer/Conductance of the roof (W/m2 K)
A= Surface area (m2)
delta t= temperature difference between the outdoor and indoor (K)

Roof Emissivity:
❖ Emissivity of the roof material defines the ability of the material to radiate out the
absorbed heat. All the roof materials except metals generally are having an
emissivity of 0.9.

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 ❖ Emissivity of the metal roof is around 0.5 due to which the rooms with metal roof
have less possibility to get cooled naturally. Roofing materials with less emissivity
are appropriate in cold climates.

How to measure:

Measuring solar reflectivity

❖ Solar reflectivity is measured according to ASTM E903. Traditional roofing

materials have an SRI of between 5% (brown shingles) and 20% (green shingles).
❖ White shingles with SRI's around 35% were popular in the 1960s, but they lost
favour because they get dirty easily.
❖ The current trend is to make white shingles more reflective.
❖ Materials specialist Paul Berdahl is developed a new rating system called the solar
reflectance index (SRI) to measure how hot materials are in the sun.
❖ The extremes of white and black paint (on the graph above) define the solar
reflectance index (SRI).
❖ However, as stated in CRRC , a cool roof need not necessarily be white. There are
many ―cool colour‖ products use darker-colour pigments that are highly reflective
in the near infrared (non-visible) portion of the solar spectrum. With ―cool colour‖
technologies there are roofs that come in a wide variety of colours and still maintain
a high solar reflectance.

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 ❖ Research and development of these cool coloured roof products is being conducted
by LBNL and ORNL

2.1.2 Benefits of cool roof

Benefits of cool roof include but are not limited to the decrease in heat gain into buildings
through roof because of the increase in roof solar reflectance, which thereby decreases the
cooling energy consumption, and mitigates global warming. Advantages of a cool roof in
different applications are discussed below.
In Unconditioned spaces:
❖ Decrease in indoor temperatures and increase in comfort conditions.
In Conditioned spaces:
❖ Decrease in heat gain, which reduces the energy consumption by the cooling system.
This saving in consumption of the air conditioning system under a cool roof is about
5% when compared with the normal grey roof.
Reduces Heat Island effect:
❖ Cities generally are around 2° to 8°C warmer than surrounding areas due to dark
materials, including roofs, which absorb the sun‘s light energy as heat during the
day and release it at night as heat.
❖ This phenomenon removes the opportunity for air to cool down at night and results
in higher temperatures being maintained longer. By immediately reflecting solar
radiation back into the atmosphere and reemitting some portion of it as infrared
radiation, cool roofs result in cooler air temperatures for the surrounding urban
environment during hot summer months, thereby reducing the heat island effect
caused.
Reduces Global warming:
❖ Cool roof also help in decreasing the rate of global warming. Cool roofs result in
conservation of electrical energy which in turn reduces the production of electricity.
❖ Decrease in electricity production results in decrease of green house gas emissions.
As a direct benefit, cool roofs also cool the world independently by reflecting the
sun‘s energy as light back to the atmosphere, thereby mitigating global warming.

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 ❖ Decreases roof maintenance costs due to longer roof life. Treating the roof white
also helps in increase the roof of the life by decreasing the heat transfer through the
roof surfaces which effect in thermal expansion and contraction of the material. The
properties of the material are prevented from the harsh weather effect of the sun,
thereby increasing the life of the overall roof.

2.1.3 Historical relevance of cool roofs in India

❖ Energy and Environment are the two key words of today‘s Architecture. When
buildings of today go in search of methods and means to decrease their impact on
energy and environment, culturally rich countries like India, have a history of being
energy efficient and environmentally friendly in their construction activities.
❖ Many vernacular technologies are energy efficient and sustainable, though some of
them are no longer implementable because of the changed cultural, ecological, and
economic situations of the country.
❖ In this regard, the key challenge is to understand the benefits of those techniques
and find ways to integrate them to today‘s buildings.
❖ In hot climates, most of the buildings of this century tend to depend on air
conditioning systems and electricity, and are unable to adapt to the present day
climate. Most of these modern building are very poorly designed to withstand the
prevailing climatic conditions. This resulted on dependency of cooling system
which in turn consume large amount of electricity.
❖ Buildings of modern day tend to behave like boxes created out of glass and RCC.
Lack of proper shading, over glazing, thin skin, inefficient air conditioning systems
are some prominent features of the energy consuming ghost buildings.
❖ In contrast to the modern building the vernacular building are more adaptable to
the local climate and environment.
❖ Use of thick walls, wind catches, ponds, courtyards, are some design principle
which include physical functionality, beauty, low-energy use, comfort , durability
and affordability.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 17

❖ Many of these vernacular buildings tend to use local material, passive cooling and
heating, and renewable energy systems. Hence, taking a step back into the future,
will be the need for a sustainable earth.
❖ Building roofs have a major share in adding to the head load in the buildings.
❖ Being exposed to direct solar radiation all through the day, with maximum surface
area exposure, roofs act as paths of heat gain into the interior spaces.
❖ Traditionally, in India, building roofs which are flat act as multipurpose spaces. Flat
roofs of house in India are gathering grounds for many activities.
❖ During the day, they act as drying yards, and during the night they turn to sleeping
platforms.
❖ Especially in a multi family culture that was once very much prevalent in India,
terraces are the spaces for kids to play, and families to gather.
❖ In North Western India, in states such as Gujurat and Rajasthan, it‘s a common
practice to coat the roofs white, using lime and chalk. China mosaic also is another
popular practice in which women arrange the broken tiles (mostly white) in a spider
web pattern. Based on the local climate of the place, and availability of the material,
the roof finishes use to vary. The white coating always helped to keep the terrace
surface cool, and emit less radiation during the cooler parts of the day, when the
roofs are occupied for other activities. This in turn restricted the heat flow into the
building all through the day.
❖ In an Annexure developed by the Eco Housing group several passive architectural
design systems are that prevalent in India are discussed. Amongst many other
technologies specified, reflective surfaces, paints and coatings – cool roof is one
major strategy to decrease heat ingress in buildings through roof.
❖ Paul Gut et al list several passive and climate responsive design strategies for
different climates of tropical and subtropical regions. As per this book, reflective
paint over roof, roof ponds, vegetation over roof, and roof insulation are some of
the important features of a climate responsive building in all the climates of this
region, except cold.
❖ Therefore, cool roof is one the most import passive strategy that existed in practice
since long. The =bring back‘ of the technology is need for India to save energy and
environment.

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2.1.4 Current relevance of cool roofs in India
❖ With rapid urbanization and increasing cooling needs, today‘s India is looking into
various heat reduction and energy conservation measures. Cool roofs being the
most accessible, economical, and beneficial measure, tends to attain popularity
among the builders, Architects, house owners and researchers of this field.
❖ The trend of cool roofs in the five major climates of India, through some satellite
images. From these images it‘s clear that, Ahmedabad and Bangalore are two cities
which practice the cool roof technology better, compared to the other cities. Shillong
being a cold climate has least need of a cool roof. Mumbai and New Delhi are cities
which need to adapt the technology for better urban environment.

Bird’s eye view of a locality in Ahmedabad showing use of cool roof

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 Bird’s eye view of a locality in Mumbai showing less use of cool roof

Bird’s eye view of a locality in New Delhi showing very little use of cool roof

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 Bird’s eye view of a locality in Bangalore showing use of cool roof

Bird’s eye view of a locality in Shillong showing very little use of cool roof

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2.1.5 Codes, Voluntary and Mandatory programs related to cool roof in India

Cool roof has been given importance in several building energy codes and rating systems
that have been launched in the country in the recent past. For any building which aims to
be energy efficient or green, cool roof is one of the measures that are considered by the
project for its roof. Therefore, an overview of the codes and the existing ratings systems, in
relevance with cool roofs has been discussed further.
Codes
There is an energy code in India which is the Energy Conservation Building Code. In this
code, there is mention of cool roof and its testing standard. When the project follows the
prescriptive method, it is necessary for the project to use a high reflective roof. The code
follows using high reflectivity in energy simulation when the project takes the whole
building performance method. The code doesn‘t specify the cool roof requirements based
on the climatic region but as whole specifies the requirements of a cool roof.

Specifications regarding the cool roof as in the code:

Section: 4.3.1.1 -Cool roofs (Page No: 7) of ECBC 2007 under Prescriptive Requirements for
Building Envelope:
Roofs with slopes less than 20 degrees shall have an initial solar reflectance of no less than
0.70 and an initial emittance no less than 0.75. Solar reflectance shall be determined in
accordance with ASTM E903-96 and emittance shall be determined in accordance with
ASTM E408-71 (RA 1996)
Further a User Guide of the Energy Conservation Building Code [5] has been developed,
in which Appendix B: The whole building performance methodology illustrates an
example for calculating energy savings through this approach. Cool roof has been
considered as one of the energy conservation strategies in this method. However, as per
the code, for this method, the aged reflectivity of the roof is to be considered as 0.45, and
the same is to be simulated to show the energy savings
Another national code which is related to buildings is the National Building Code [4]. This
code provides standards for building construction, materials and services. However, the
code is silent in defining the requirement of cool roof for a building. It specifies the details,
guidelines and standards related to the structure, design, fire, structural details, design
details, fire service, construction practices and landscaping, which are to be met by the

COOL ROOF DESIGN 22

building of the country. Hence, if cool roofs become a part of the codes requirement, then
a wide scope exists for this technology within the country.
Both the codes are not mandatory as of now.
Along with these codes, there are several policy making bodies within the country which
are important decision makes in fields related to environment and buildings. The country
has a number of policy initiatives to mainstream energy efficiency and green buildings as
control and regulatory instruments, including appliance standards, mandatory labelling
and certification, energy efficiency obligations, and utility DSM(Demand side
management) programs; economic and market-based instruments; fiscal instruments and
incentives; support, information and voluntary action. Some of these that have a potential
include cool roof concept are briefly explained below:

Energy Conservation Building Code 2007

The Energy Conservation Act 2001 provides for the establishment of state energy
conservation agencies to plan and execute programs. The Act led to the formation of
Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) that formulated the Energy Conservation Building Code
(ECBC). It targets building energy efficiency and was introduced in the year 2007. This is
the nation‘s first building energy code and aims to have a major impact on energy
efficiency in buildings. It is a voluntary code for all buildings with a connected load of 100
kW and most likely to become a mandatory code. It covers minimum requirements for
building envelope performance as well as for mechanical systems and equipment,
including heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system, interior and exterior
lighting system, service hot water, electrical power and motors in order to achieve energy
efficiency in different climatic zones of India. As mentioned in the earlier section, the code
states requirements for cool roofs, for all Indian climatic zones.
❖ Roofs with slopes less than 20 degrees shall have an initial emittance no less than
0.75.
❖ Solar reflectance shall be determined in accordance with ASTM E 903-96 and
emittance shall be determined in accordance with ASTM 408-71 (RA1996).

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Voluntary and Mandatory Programs
There are various building rating systems within India which include the cool roof as one
of the suggested measures for energy efficiency. They categorize cool roof as a credit for
buildings which are going to be certified green. Some of the rating systems and the
specifications or requirements related to cool roof as provided by them are:
IGBC Green homes
Site Credit 3.0
Heat Island effect: Roof (Page No: 29)
Goal:
❖ Reduce heat islands (thermal gradient differences between developed and
undeveloped areas)
To minimize impact on microclimate.
Compliance Options:
❖ Use material with high solar reflectance and thermal emittance (such as, white china
mosaic or white cement tiles or any other highly reflective materials) and/or
provide vegetation to cover at least 50% of the exposed roof areas.
Note:
❖ Exposed roof area does not include areas occupied by equipment such as HVAC,
solar water heater, photovoltaic etc.
Approach and Methodologies:
❖ Consider providing green roofs or using highly reflective materials over roof to
reduce the heat island effect. Typical materials with high reflective properties
include china mosaic, white cement tiles, paints with high Solar Reflective Index
(SRI) values etc.

IGBC Green Factory

SE Credit 6.0
Heat Island Effect on Factory Roof and Parking area (Page No: 24)
Goal
Reduce heat islands (thermal gradient differences between developed and undeveloped
areas)
to minimize impact on the microclimate.
Compliance Options

COOL ROOF DESIGN 24

Roof
❖ Use high albedo roofing material or heat resistant paint or china mosaic or white
cement tiles or any other highly reflective materials over the roof to cover at least
50% of the exposed roof area.
Parking Areas
❖ Plant shade-giving trees to cover at least 75% of the open parking areas (or) install
permanent roof to cover 75% of the parking areas. In the event of installing a
permanent roof, it should meet the requirements for mitigation on the roof.
Approach and Methodologies
❖ Consider installing heat resistant paint and vegetated roofs to reduce the heat island
effect. Typical materials with high reflective properties include china mosaic, white
cement tiles, paints with high Solar Reflective Index (SRI) values etc.

Use roofing materials with a solar reflectance index (SRI) equal to or greater than the values
in the table below for a minimum of 75% of the roof surface. Roofing materials having a
lower SRI value than those listed below may be used if the weighted rooftop SRI average
meets the following criteria : Credit – Heat island effect: Roof

Area of Roof Meeting Minimum SRI x SRI of installed roof ≥75%

Total Roof Area Required SRI

Refers to Cool Roof Rating Council. Default value in IGBC

Roof Type Slope SRI
Low-sloped roof ≤ 2:12(15%) 78
Steep-sloped roof > 2.12(15%) 29

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LEED India CS & LEED India NC
Credit 7.2
❖ Heat Island effect: Roof (CS- Page: 80; NC-Page: 44)
Intent:
❖ Reduce heat islands (thermal gradient differences between developed and
undeveloped areas)
to minimize impact on microclimate and human and wildlife habitat.
Requirements:
❖ Option 1:
Use roofing materials having a Solar Reflective Index (SRI) equal to or greater than
the values in the table below for minimum of 75% of the roof surface.
Potential technologies & strategies:
❖ Consider installing high albedo and vegetated roofs to reduce heat absorption.

GRIHA
Criterion 5
❖ Reduce hard paving on-site and/or provide shaded hard pave surfaces (Page No:
23)
Objective:
To reduce hard paving on-site (open areas surrounding building premises) and/or provide
shade on hard-paved surfaces to minimize the heat island effect and imperviousness of the
site.
❖ Use light colored, reflective roofs having an SRI (solar reflectance index) of 50% or
more. The dark colored, traditional roofing finishes have SRI varying from 5% to
20%. A fine example of higher SRI is the use of broken china mosaic and light
colored tiles as roof finish, which reflects heat off the surface because of high solar
reflectivity, and infrared emittance, which prevents heat gain.
❖ Use commercially available, high solar reflective (albedo) roof coatings or heat
reflective paints on roofs that shade paved areas. Do not use stone mulches such as
fine gravel, crushed granite or pebbles in unplanted area immediately adjacent to
buildings, as they can heat up, reflect solar radiation inside, and also cause glare.
Use high albedo or reflective pavements to keep parking lots, pavements, and the

COOL ROOF DESIGN 26

 inside roads cool, because an increase in albedo of 0.1 decreases the pavement
temperature approximately by 8 deg F.
❖ Use light colored aggregates or “white top” the pavements with a layer of cement
concrete, 50 mm thick. Stabilize the pavements with porous or permeable materials
such as sand, crushed bricks, broken mosaic tiles or stones where the soil is stable
or the traffic load is quite low. Recycled materials such as demolished concrete
(rubble), broken china, and mosaic tiles could also be used.

Eco-Housing, Pune
Site Planning, S.No: 1.14
Site should be properly planned to mitigate the “heat island effect” (thermal gradient
difference between developed and undeveloped areas) by the following –
❖ Provide shade on at least 40% of non-roof impervious surfaces on the site, including
parking lots, walkways, plazas etc.
❖ Place a minimum of 50% of parking space underground OR plan covered parking
with a reflective roof (net impervious area of less than 50%) for a minimum of 50%
of the parking area.
❖ Use light colored (Solar Reflectance index >0.5) for pavements, walkways etc.
Exception: Mandatory side space as per fire regulation and PMC byelaws shall be
exempt for the calculation of impervious areas.

2.2) THE CONCEPT OF THE COOL ROOF DESIGN

❖ Based on Parker’s definition of what constitutes a cool roof, the technique is

considered a passive solution and a building typology that assists in reducing the
cooling loads and energy demands on a building’s envelope.
❖ The same source specifies that cool roofs can be surfaces that reflect sunlight and
emit heat more efficiently than other dark roofs. On a normal sunny day in a hot dry
climatic zone, a typical roof surface can reach to 37◦C above the ambient
temperature.
❖ Research shows that roof surface temperature can exceed the temperature of the
other surrounding surfaces covered with vegetation by 20◦C.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 27

 ❖ The actual benefits of a cool roof on any particular building will depend on several
factors, including type, load, season and most importantly the climatic zone. There
are several environmental benefits to cool roofs.
❖ On the urban level, cool roofs can contribute in reducing urban air temperatures by
decreasing the quantity of heat transferred from roofs to the urban environment .
This can be done by using, for example, retro-reflective materials and reflective
coatings thus mitigating the urban heat island effect .
❖ On the level of building, cool roof improves indoor thermal comfort. Consequently,
a cool roof reduces energy bills by reducing the dependency on mechanical air
conditioning systems.
❖ A typical application for a cool roof will achieve a reduction of about 10% to 40% in
air conditioning energy. A further, long term, benefit is that a lower roof
temperature reduces maintenance and, hence, extends the life of the roof.
Solar reflectance and thermal emittance are the two key material surface properties that
determine the temperature of a roof. An amount of solar radiation is reflected back towards
the sky from the roof surface and the rest of the solar energy is absorbed at the surface. The
higher the reflectance (albedo) of the surface the less energy will be absorbed. The energy
balance of the roof surface can be expressed as (All units in W/m2):
Rn= QH+ QE+ QS
Where,
Rn is the net absorbed short- and long-wave radiation,
QH is the sensible heat which will be carried away from the roof through convection and
radiation,
QE is the latent heat from evaporation,
QS is the heat that will be stored in the roof surface and transferred to the ceiling through
conduction. The amount of heat that reaches the inner space will be determined by the
insulative properties of the roof materials. If the roof surface is dry, QE will be negligible.

Despite the fact that cool roofs are considered efficient solutions in reducing heat gain,
there are drawbacks to their use. In general, they increase the need for heating in winter.
However, if the location has no or low heating needs, the cool roof solution is optimal.
Another drawback is that the bright colours used in cool roofs cause glare and visual
discomfort to neighbours in taller adjacent buildings. In order to reduce heat gain the

COOL ROOF DESIGN 28

conductivity of the roof, the reflective properties and the colour of the materials with the
roof shape.

2.3) STRUCTURE, COMPOSITION AND MATERIAL PERFORMANCE

OF THE COOL ROOF

❖ A considerable number of experimental and field studies have been carried out to
measure the energy efficiency of cool roofs and their effect in reducing cooling loads
and energy consumption, especially in summer time.
❖ Other researchers have conducted computational studies to demonstrate how a cool
roof can help to reduce energy demands by cooling the effect of the dominant
climate.
❖ Some have carried out mathematical calculations to see the effect of a cool roof shape
on indoor thermal comfort. Another area of research has been to examine practical
measures to reduce the heat island effect.
❖ A recent review study on cool roofs and heat island mitigation shows that in hot
climates, reflective cool roofs with high albedo present a much higher heat island
mitigation potential than green roofs during the peak period.
❖ Other studies show that cool roofs can save energy and reduce air pollutants. In the
following sections types of roof structure, composition and material performance.

2.3.1 Evaporative cooling through roof ponds

❖ Evaporative cooling has proved to be an effective passive cooling strategy for a hot
arid climate. In the hot arid climate in August have proved that an average
reduction of 5◦C in indoor temperature can be achieved by using a roof with moist
soil shaded by 10 cm of pebbles. Kharrufa and Yahyah applied a roof pond cooling
system with active methods using a fan to increase the efficiency of the roof pond.
❖ A walkable roof pond with night water circulation. The roof pond was filled with
pebbles, with an insulation layer on top of which thin tiles were placed over the
insulation, acting as a roof top surface accessible for the building’s occupants.
❖ This technique reduced the indoor temperature by 6◦C compared to the outdoor
temperature when measured and tested in August. However we believe it is not

COOL ROOF DESIGN 29

 ideal to adopt this idea in the case of low cost housing it needs a special roof
structure to stand the dead load of the water. In addition it needs regular
maintenance.
❖ As hot and dry climate zones suffers from water shortage, if a cool roof pond is used
recommend working with grey water instead of fresh water adds that water leakage
can be a huge problem as it is hard to locate cracks in a roof, which is also a point
to consider given the in efficiency of workmanship.
❖ An evapo-reflective roof using water ponds, low emissivity surfaces and inserted
rocks of high thermal capacity. Combined this cool roof system with natural night
ventilation to improve space cooling in buildings in hot arid climates. An
evaporative reflective roof can reduce internal room air temperatures during the
day by up to 8◦C. The passive cooling of water at night in an uninsulated open tank
to indicate the effectiveness of the evapo-reflective roof when used through radiant
ceiling cooling panel systems.

2.3.2 Solar reflection of the roof surface

❖ Given that the thermal performance of a building is directly affected by the solar
absorbance of the roof, it has been found that, in a clear sky situation, from 20% to
95% of solar radiation is typically absorbed by the roof surface.
❖ The amount of absorption depends on the reflectivity (albedo) of the roof surface.
❖ The reflectivity varies from about 0.1 for a very black colours to 0.8 for a very white
colour. Generally, the rejection of solar gain is the main goal of passive cooling
strategies especially in hot climates.
❖ Direct sunlight onto a roof not only affects the indoor thermal comfort; thermal
radiation coming from the roof materials affects the micro climate around a
building.
❖ Several studies have proved a significant difference in heat gain if light colours are
used instead of dark colours. Generally, the studies indicate that coating the roof
with a cool heat reflective paint or using bright colours helps to maintain a lower
temperature on the exterior roof surface, which consequently helps to reduce the
indoor temperature.
❖ White is the most effective colour for flat cool roofs as it reflects between 55% and
80% of incident sunlight.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 30

2.3.3. Roof shape and form
❖ When it comes to the roof shape, domed and vaulted roofs have been widely used
in traditional and vernacular buildings. Unlike the flat roof a rounded or curved
roof is in the shade for part of the day.
❖ It has hither to generally been taken for-granted that rounded or curved roofs
reduce the indoor temperature compared to flat roofs but a study carried out on the
radiation absorbed by vaulted and domed roofs in a hot climate showed that domed
roofs actually absorb less beam radiation than a corresponding flat roof but only
during the hours around noon.
❖ They actually absorb more beam radiation in the early morning and late afternoon.
❖ The study includes calculations which indicate that the absorbed radiation with of
an east west facing vaulted roof, when the half vault angle is less than 50◦,
approaches that absorbed by a corresponding flat roof.
❖ This means that the smaller the area exposed to the sun, the smaller the amount of
beam radiation. The study recommended the construction of domed roofs with
more than 60◦ of half dome angle.
❖ Other research has suggested that a vaulted roof with rim angles of less than 120◦ at
night and in the early morning has a lower heat flow than a flat roof. The same
research pointed out that the efficiency increases with higher rim angles.
❖ In another study Tangetal. recommend a half rim angle for vaulted roofs of between
50◦ and 60◦ to satisfy the needs of both un-air-conditioned and air-conditioned
buildings. They also recommend that the optimal orientation of the vault be north-
south facing.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 31

2.3.4. The matrix
The Matrix, is designed that the two main variables are alternated together. These two
main variables are:
❖ Five roof shapes: flat roof, double roof, dome, vault and ventilated vault.
❖ Four cool roof material: insulation, albedo, an air gap and a water pond.
The matrix was designed in a simple mathematical way by which the two main variables
match only once. The number of unique variables (M) are formed by a triangular matrix
with identical input for head columns and head rows (m). The base case (C) was added to
the number of variables as a constant. The number of incompatible roof composition (y) is
subtracted from the total variables (M - y). Thus the total number of examined variables
was calculated as follows:

m2/2+m/2+C=M
16/2+2+1=11roof layers variables
(x1.M-y1)+(x2.M-y2)+...(xn.M-yn)=˙x.M-˙y(that makes a total of 50
roof solutions)
(1×11-4)+(1×11-7)+(1×11-7)+(1×11-0)+(1×11-0)

COOL ROOF DESIGN 32

5× 11 - 18 = 37 (total applicable variables).
As shown in the equation above, the total number formed by this matrix was 50 roof
sections. Theoretically, it is possible to simulate and examine all roof construction
probabilities extracted from the matrix; however, in practice some probabilities are not
applicable during construction, such as the water pond and the air gap layers with the
dome, vault and the ventilated vault. Therefore, these were dismissed from the evaluation,
resulting in only 37 examined roof sections. From the 37 selected the most significant cases
and their efficiency was compared.

2.3.5. Cool roof material properties

There are four main material variables: high albedo paint, thermal insulation, air gap and
water pond. Their thermal properties and description are:

The matrix shows the combination of different propabilities for a roof section.

2.3.6. Cool roof shape variables

In this study the flat roof, dome, vault, ventilated vault and flat double roof were tested.
The cross section of the five different roof shape variables is the same as the conventional
flat roof cross section, which is 150 mm of reinforced concrete, 20 mm of cement mortar
and 10 mm tiling. The five different shapes of roofs.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 33

Roof Shape Roof illustration Rim angle

Flat roof

Dome

80◦

Vault

70◦

Ventilated Vault

70◦

Double roof 2.7 m roof

Height and extended
2.0 m from Façade
--

COOL ROOF DESIGN 34

2.3.7. Roof geometry and heat gain
❖ Generally, a curved roof has a larger convection heat-transfer surface, allowing it to
be more easily cooled.
❖ When air flows over a cylindrical or spherical object, the velocity of the air at the
apex is increased and, as a consequence, the pressure at the apex is lowered.
❖ In addition, when an air vent is added to the top of a curved ceiling, as in our
ventilated vault case, it is rendered more effective.
❖ For the natural ventilation in the simulation, the wind velocity, frequency and
direction were important to ensure correct behaviour.
❖ The most frequent direction of the cool prevailing wind is south west-north east,
which was taken into consideration in the orientation of the vault.
❖ In the flat roof section, adding a high albedo resulted in the fewest number of
discomfort hours.
❖ Where a high albedo coating proved to be the most efficient cool roof approach, and
albedo starts to pay for itself immediately through its direct effect.
❖ Using high albedo or reflectance coating for roof materials is one of the variables
that help in reducing heat gain. In addition, a surface with raised albedo remains
colder when exposed to direct solar radiation because it absorbs little and reflects
more thermal radiation to the surrounding space.
❖ The increased albedo roof heat gain is as effective as insulation in a hot climate and
is a cost efficient solution.
❖ It is argued that the albedo effect of flat white roofs in cities with hot summers can
offset the emission of CO2, which in some cases reached the equivalent CO emission
over the life span of the roof.
❖ Further on the flat roof insulated section (U value = 0.36), the total roof gains
decrease by 90%, reaching a total of 48 kW h when the average indoor temperature
in the month of August is 31.9◦C.
❖ The reason for the total decrease of heat is explained in other research work, which
recommends that it is better to use a light roof colouring in combination with a
reflective roof because that enhances the roof’s reflecting qualities.
❖ Other studies confirm that using insulation alone may obstruct night-time cooling.
Consequently a flat roof with an air gap (U-value = 2.1) yields poorer results due to
the difference in the thermal conductance: in the month of August, the total heat

COOL ROOF DESIGN 35

 gain through the roof can reach 360 kWh and an average indoor temperature of
32.1◦C.
❖ This is not the case in the flat roof water pond section (U value = 2.5) where,
although its total thermal resistance is less than the air gap section, the result is fewer
indoor discomfort hours when the average indoor temperature in the month of
August is 31.6◦C is because water has four times the thermal storage capacity of
earth, which means that water will, therefore, experience a lower range of
temperature variations.
❖ In other studies, the water pond solution was combined with active electric fans, or
a shaded pond was introduced to increase efficiency.
❖ Nevertheless, the water pond is not recommended due to several significant
concomitant limitations such as the contamination that is caused by standing water,
the possibility of leakage, the cost of maintenance and its effect on heating hours.
❖ A water pond should contain approximately 150–200 mm of water plus 40–80 mm
of foam insulation.

2.3.8. The effect of material variables on heat gain

❖ Solar protection measures e.g. roof shading or albedo, achieve a greater decrease in
indoor discomfort hours than thermal protection measures such as decreasing the
roof’s U-value.
❖ The three main properties of a roof surface that affect heat gain and energy flux are
solar reflectance and thermal insulation.
❖ In the domed roof cases, increasing the albedo of the roof surface leads to heat loss
through the roof of 520 kW h, and an average indoor temperature in the month of
August of 30.8◦C.
❖ With added insulation to the roof section, the average indoor temperature in August
reached 31.9◦C. In the vault roof, adding albedo led to a decrease of the average
indoor temperature in the month of August to 30.2◦C, yet with added insulation the
result was 32.2◦C.
❖ Inducing ventilation inside the vault by creating voids on both sides led to an indoor
temperature of 31.6◦C. Hence the decrease in discomfort hours when combining
induced ventilation and high albedo in the case of the vault decreased to 979 h only.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 36

❖ In the case of the total shading of the flat roof with an external shading device, the
roof heat losses mark a value of 183 kW h. When compared to another solar control
measure, such as adding albedo, the losses are about 30% of the albedo flat roof
losses.
❖ It is recommended that the roof be provided with shade: this is preferable done to
using plantation because shade is proved to be viable and low cost. Roof planting is
beneficial in many dry areas because the irrigation of the roof will cool the roof
surface through evaporative cooling.
❖ Cool roofing materials require an initial investment in bright materials, which
turned out to be more effective in terms of life-cycle cost than the conventional dark
alternatives.
❖ Usually, a lower life-cycle cost result from longer roof life and/or energy savings.
Insulation materials were also considered among the alternative solutions tested in
this research.
❖ Generally insulating materials are very effective in saving energy, both for cooling
and for heating, but their effectiveness normally depends on the properties of the
insulation material used and its position in the roof sandwich structure.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 37

CHAPTER -3 COOL ROOF MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGIES

❖ A portion of the sun's incident energy inevitably finds its way into the buildings on
which it falls. In the summertime, this unwanted heat energy causes discomfort and
requires the use of extra energy for air conditioning.
❖ Since the summertime sun rises high in the sky, the sun's radiant energy falls mainly
on the roof, with east and west walls of buildings also receiving a significant share.
(In the wintertime, the desirable solar flux falls mainly on the south facade.)
❖ The purpose of this Cool Roofing Materials Database is to assist with the selection
of roofing materials which reflect, or otherwise reject, the sun's radiant energy,
before it penetrates into the interior of the building.
❖ One of the best measures for keeping solar heat out of buildings is simply to use
reflective roofing materials.

❖ Then, the sun's radiant energy is simply reflected back toward the sky from which
it came. In fact, reflective materials also help keep the building's environment (i.e.,
the city) cool, by reflecting solar energy back out into space.

❖ A purpose of the Database is thus to provide a tabulation of solar reflectances of

ordinary building materials. Conventional white materials and coatings are rather
good from this standpoint. Besides high solar reflectance, a high infrared emittance
is also desirable. Infrared emittance is a measure of the ability of a surface to emit
its energy in the form of heat radiation.

❖ Fortunately, most roofing materials (excepting bare metals) have a high infrared
emittance. Also desirable is good convective heat transfer: as the roof heats in the
sun some of the heat can be carried away by the outside air. In some roofing systems
air can circulate underneath the outer roofing material (e.g., tile and wood shake
systems).

❖ Attic venting also can be used to intercept heat before it penetrates into the
conditioned space. Finally, of course, thermal insulation is effective in reducing, but
not eliminating, the flow of unwanted heat.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 38

 ❖ While the Cool Roofing Materials Database focuses on the important issue of
keeping the building cool, one should not overlook the fact that the primary
function of a roof is to keep out all the elements of the weather! A roof must last for
decades, with minimal maintenance, and at a reasonable cost.

❖ Factors which can shorten the lifetime of a roof include ultraviolet radiation from
the sun, freeze-thaw cycles, wind, rain, damage from foot traffic, biological growth,
chemical reactions with air pollutants, thermal expansion stresses due to
temperature changes, poor installation, etc.

❖ Thus, if a cooler material is inferior from a cost or lifetime point of view compared
to a warmer material, it's not a good deal. It's important to find a contractor or
supplier who has experience with the materials to be used, and who will stand
behind the quality of the work.

3.1 Cool roof products

The performance of 6 different cool roof products that are available in the market. Six
products that are widely available in the market were considered for installation. The
products that can installed on the terrace are:
❖ White Cement: Normal white cement which is generally available in any hardware
shops and is in use by several common users. It has been observed that several
products of this sort, which seem to have less life but are economical come into the
market every summer.
❖ White ceramic tiles – matt finish: Ceramic tiles in white are installed over one roof.
Though they seem to be less reflective when compared to the elastomeric reflective
coatings, they tend to have better life.
❖ White ceramic tiles – gloss finish: The gloss finish tile was assumed to reflect more
radiation. However, it is to be noted that it might cause a visual disturbance to the
people using the terrace or the people in surrounding buildings
❖ Reinforced aluminium foil - with solar reflectance value around 0.8.
❖ Acrylic resin coating - A water-based pure acrylic resin coating, which is a
combination of high Reflectance (82%) and high Emittance (94%).
❖ Modified acrylic water proofing coating - A waterproofing cum solar heat gain
reduction coating, with SRI of 100 (solar reflectance of 0.79 and emissivity of 0.982).

COOL ROOF DESIGN 39

Cool roof installed Cool roof installed

Gloss tiles Matt tiles

Reinforced aluminium foil Modified acrylic coating

COOL ROOF DESIGN 40

 Acrylic resin coating Cool roof installed

3.2 Cool roof material

Some of the roofing materials and choices of cool roof can be as below:

Common roofing material in India

Cool roofing materials Cool Options Pay back

Cement roof White cement < 1 year

Tiles White/light color tiles Negative to 1

Buildup roof White/light color coatings 3-4 years

Metal roof White paint/coating <1

Mud house White wash roof More comfort

Cool roofs can be selected from a wide variety of materials and colours, and can be
advantageously applied to almost any building or roof type, and in most locations.
Moreover, cool roofs are a viable option for both new and existing building applications.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 41

 Solar Reflectance Index (SRI) for typical roofing materials

3.3 Climate Zone Analysis

COOL ROOF DESIGN 42

 India climate zone classification as specified in ECBC

India is a land of different climatic conditions varying from very hot and dry to cold and
humid. The characteristics of each climate differ and accordingly the comfort requirements
vary from one climatic zone to another. Based on the intended use, comfort requirements
and design type, the energy requirement of buildings change. There are five climatic zones
based on the hourly temperature, various climatic parameters and solar radiation:
❖ Composite
❖ Hot-dry
❖ Moderate
❖ Warm-humid
❖ Cold

COOL ROOF DESIGN 43

❖ Climate is an important aspect of life particularly in areas with hot and dry climate
such as Jodhpur, where people face variety of problems related to climate especially
in modern housing. Traditional built environment of Jodhpur is considered
appropriate for both the climate as well as for social conditions.
❖ The modern architecture of international style which has dominated the new
developments generally considered inappropriate, particularly because it was
introduced without consideration for the local climate or for the cultural need of the
population. Traditional built environment in Jodhpur have evolved in response to
climate, reducing the effect of hostile desert climate conditions.
❖ The main concern of the builders was to modify extremes of air temperature, and to
protect the inhabitants from solar radiation and glare as well as from sand and dust.
❖ In hot and dry climate the most significant problems are those caused by solar
radiation and UV rays. These can destroy surface finishes, above all coated surfaces
of metal sections, metal sheeting and wood surfaces.
❖ The great temperature difference of 45oC in summer and cold winter nights with
temperature below freezing point, impose considerable strain on the construction
and material in the form of swelling and contraction.
❖ Sand bearing winds have a damaging effect on the surface finishes, such as sand
blasting surfaces.
❖ Although the choice of the building material is essentially determined by local
availability, their economy, durability and suitability for the particular climate.
❖ The means of transporting materials from distant place of production is also an
important factor.
❖ For many the acceptance of material is related to its status. Vernacular architecture
of Hot and Dry Climate of Jodhpur has many passive design features.
❖ The coolness of the houses on a hot summer afternoon never fails to impress the
visitor and makes one wonder how the indigenous builders could create such
comfortable buildings without aid of modern scientific knowledge.

COOL ROOF DESIGN 44

3.3.1 Urban Climate
❖ The air temperatures in densely built urban areas are often higher than the
temperatures of the surrounding countryside.
❖ This is due to rapid urbanization and industrialization. The term “urban heat
island” refers to increased surface temperatures in some pockets of a city, caused by
an ever changing microclimate.
❖ The difference between the maximum city temperature (measured at the city centre)
and the surrounding countryside is the urban heat-island intensity.
❖ An urban heat island study was carried out in Pune, Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi,
Vishakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Bhopal and Chennai. It is seen that, the heat island
intensity is greatest in Pune (about 10 °C) and lowest in Vishakhapatnam (about
0.6°C).
❖ In the metropolitan cities of Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata, the
corresponding values are 9.5, 6.0, 4.0 and 4.0oC respectively. Clearly, the values are
quite high. The density of the built environment and the extent of tree cover or
vegetation primarily affect the heat-island intensity.
❖ Pollution and heat due to vehicular traffic, industrialization and human activities
are other contributing factors. Normally, the central business district (CBD) or the
centre of city experiences higher temperatures than the other parts.
❖ This is because the CBD mainly consists of concrete buildings and asphalted roads,
which heat up very quickly due to radiation from the sun. Most of this heat is stored
and released very slowly, sometimes even up to the night.
❖ This phenomenon does not allow the daily minimum temperature to become too
low. Though it may be a welcome phenomenon in cold regions during winters, it
makes life unbearable for people in the hot regions.
❖ Thus, in tropical climates, the provision of sufficient ventilation and spacing
between buildings is required to allow the accumulated heat to escape to the
atmosphere easily.
❖ Street patterns and urban blocks can be oriented and sized to incorporate concerns
of light, sun, and shade according to the dictates of the climate.
❖ For example, the densely built areas produce, store and retain more heat than low-
density areas. Thus, the temperature differential between urban areas and the

COOL ROOF DESIGN 45

 surrounding countryside increases as the surrounding areas cool at night. As a
result, cooler air from the surrounding countryside flows towards the centre.
❖ This kind of circulation is more pronounced on calm summer nights and can be
utilized to flush dense areas of heat and pollutants. To achieve cool air movement,
a belt of undeveloped and preferably vegetated land at the perimeter of the city, can
be provided to serve as a cool air source.
❖ Radial street patterns can also be designed for facilitating movement of air from less
dense to more dense areas.

3.4 Cool Roofs

3.4.1 Types of Cool Roofs

Cool roofs fall into one of three categories: roofs made from cool roofing materials, roofs
made of materials that have been coated with a solar reflective coating, or green roofs.

Membrane cool roofs

❖ White thermoplastic membrane roofs, are inherently reflective, achieving some of
the highest reflectance and emittance measurements of which roofing materials are
capable.
❖ A roof made of white thermoplastic, for example, can reflect 80 percent or more of
the sun’s rays and emit at least 70% of the solar radiation that the roof absorbs. An
asphalt roof only reflects between 6 and 26% of solar radiation.
❖ Roofing membranes are fabricated from strong, flexible, waterproof materials. They
may be applied in multiple layers, as in the venerable Built-Up Roof (BUR), or they
may consist of a single-ply membrane.
❖ Membranes usually contain a fabric made from felt, fiberglass, or polyester, for
strength, which is laminated to or impregnated with a flexible polymeric material.
❖ The polymeric material may range from bituminous hydrocarbon materials such as
asphalt, to synthetic rubber known as EPDM, to synthetic polymers such as
polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
❖ The color of the polymer itself ranges from black to white, often depending on the
amount of carbon black present. The upper surface of the membrane may be coated

COOL ROOF DESIGN 46

 with a pigmented material which determines the color and solar reflectance, or it
may simply be ballasted with roofing gravel.
❖ When a dark membrane is surfaced with roofing granules, the membrane has the
appearance (and solar reflectance) of asphalt shingles.
Coated cool roofs
❖ An existing (or new) roof can be made reflective by applying a solar reflective
coating to its surface.
❖ The reflectivity and emissivity ratings for over 500 reflective coatings can be found
in the Cool Roofs Rating Council.
❖ Roof Coatings can be divided into two categories: field-applied and factory applied.
Field applied coatings are applied directly onto the roof surface, either on a new
roof assembly or even on existing roof surface and may require an appropriate
primer.
❖ Factory applied coatings are applied directly to products at the factory prior to
distribution.
❖ Examples of factory applied coatings include coating applied to metals, glazes and
are applied to tiles. Specialized white elastomeric coatings are available for low
sloped products and cool color polymer coatings are available for tiles-these can be
sprayed on existing roofs.
❖ The white pigment in coatings is typically titanium dioxide. Once applied, the
coating is what determines the reflective properties of the roofing product.
❖ White roof coatings contain transparent polymeric materials, such as acrylic, and a
white pigment, such as titantium dioxide (rutile), to make them opaque and
reflective. Other white pigments sometimes used are the anatase form of titanium
dioxide, and zinc oxide.
❖ These coatings typically reflect 70 to 80 % of the sun's energy. Despite the white
appearance, these pigments strongly absorb the 5 % or so of the sun's energy which
falls in the ultraviolet. Thus, the pigments help protect the polymer material and the
substrate underneath from uv damage.
❖ These coatings are applied in thicknesses considerably greater than typical white
paints, ranging up to about 1 mm. Some of the Oak Ridge data in the table show
how the reflectance increases with thickness. The substrate must be clean and
compatible with the coating system. The achievement of the very highest reflectance

COOL ROOF DESIGN 47

 values requires sufficient pigment and a smooth substrate. If the substrate is already
light in color, it can be made highly reflective with less pigment (fewer coats).
❖ To help maintain the high reflectance of a freshly applied white coating, several
issues are important. A completely horizonal roof, with ponding water after rain, is
likely to become quickly soiled, with a corresponding loss in reflectance. Of course
it is also very likely to fail by leaking! A mildewcide additive can retard biological
growth with its resulting stains. There is some variation in how tightly dirt adheres
to coatings. Rohm & Haas of Philadelphia is a company which has worked to
improve the "cleanability" of coatings.

Green cool roofs

❖ Green roofs provide a thermal mass layer which helps reduce the flow of heat into
a building. The solar reflectance of green roofs varies depending on the plant types
(generally 0.3-0.5).
❖ Green roofs may not reflect as much as other cool roofs but do have other benefits
such as evapo-transpiration which cools the plants and the immediate area around
the plants, aiding in lowering rooftop temperatures, naturally.
Broken China Mosaic Terracing
❖ Well-graded broken pieces of glossy glazed tiles provide an inexpensive and
conducive cool roofing option.
❖ Broken pieces of glazed tiles (preferably white) are embedded in wet mortar to
provide a smooth surface that does not undulate. The joints are then grouted using
cement mortar with waterproofing material.
Modified Bitumen
❖ Modified bitumen is bitumen (asphalt or tar) modified with plastic and layered with
reinforcing materials then topped with a surfacing material. The radiative
properties of modified bitumen are determined by the surfacing material, so a cool
modified bitumen product will be finished off with a capsheet or coating to achieve
a high solar reflectance. Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC)
❖ The ubiquitous roofing solution for Delhi, RCC roof is extensively used in both
residential and commercial buildings, and for low- and high-rise structures. These
roofs may be topped with elastomeric cool roof coatings or simply finished with
broken white glazed tiles.

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Slate or Tile
❖ These roofing products are commonly used for residential buildings, or steeper-
sloped buildings, and increasingly, for commercial buildings. Slate and tile products
are available with solar-reflective surfaces that offer a wide range of cool colors.
❖ Additionally, the dense, earthen composition of slate and tile products provides
increased thermal mass, yielding additional energy savings not realized through
solar reflectance and thermal emittance measures alone.
❖ Concrete and clay tiles may be obtained in white, increasing the solar reflectance to
about 70 percent (compared to the 20-30 percent range for red tile).
❖ Roofing tiles can be ceramic (e.g., clay fired at a high temperature) or fabricated from
cement concrete. Some of the lighter types use fibers (e.g., cellulose) added for
strength. The color of a tile may be dispersed throughout, or it may be applied in
the form of a coating. Perhaps the most venerable type of roof tile is the Spanish
style red barrel tile made from fired clay. The modern version of this tile is
sometimes a cement tile with a suitable coating. In either case, the red color is due
to the ubiquitous iron oxide material, hematite.
❖ Roofing tiles are available in a wide range of colors; more data on the solar
reflectance properties is needed. A starting point for the estimation of the solar
reflectance would be to use the reflectance of a paint coating of similar color.
❖ Advantages of tile include fire safety, as they are non-combustible, and durability.
Disadvantages include increased weight and cost compared with low-cost asphalt
shingle roofs.
❖ Tile roofs often have enhanced air circulation compared to other roofing types
because ambient air can circulate below as well as above the tile. (Wood roofs also
have provision for air circulation below the roof, to make sure they always remain
dry.) This enhanced air circulation helps the roof shed solar heat more readily. The
temperature rise figures in the table below are conservative in the sense that we
have not attempted to account for this uncertain benefit of enhanced convection.

Metal
❖ These roof systems typically are available in white, which raises their solar
reflectance to about 65 percent.
❖ Unpainted metal should be covered with a white coating to increase its emittance.

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 ❖ Metal roofing products can be shaped to look like tiles, or to fit unique curvatures,
in addition to a typical standing seam configuration.
❖ They come in a variety of factory-applied textures and colors, including darker cool
colors with infrared reflective pigments.
❖ Metal products can also be coated in cool custom colors to meet a variety of client
preferences.
❖ Metal roofing is mostly steel or aluminum, although copper and other metals are
sometimes used. Steel is invariably galvanized by the application of a zinc or
zinc/aluminum coating, which greatly reduces the rate of corrosion. As may be seen
from the table, bare aluminum and steel may have a solar reflectance of roughly
60%, and a low emittance. The reflectance and emittance of bare metals are very
sensitive to the smoothness of the surface and the presence or absence of surface
oxides, oil film, etc. Usually, bare metals are not very cool in the sun. For example,
in one outdoor experiment (LBNL1), a bare clean sheet of galvanized steel with a
solar reflectance of about 0.38 reached temperatures nearly as high as a reference
black surface.
❖ Metal roofing is available with pigmented polymeric coatings, similar to paint, that
are factory applied. These coatings are used to protect the metal panels, and for
appearance's sake; they can also keep the roof cooler. Even a thin white coating
"hides" the low emittance of the metal underneath, and produces a solar reflectance
nearly as high as the thicker white coatings applied on site.

Cool Colors
❖ Technology has enabled the increase of the reflectance of a material by selectively
increasing reflectance of non-visible radiation, without altering the reflectance of the
visible part of the spectrum. It is now possible that two identical looking products
may vary significantly in terms of thermal reflectance.
❖ 'Cool color' roofing materials are created by integrating pigments that reflect
infrared energy, even though their color may still absorb some of the visible
spectrum. In this way, roofing products can be both 'cool' and dark colored.
❖ This type of infrared reflective pigment has been used in conjunction with a variety
of product types, including metal, tile, and coatings, thus broadening the scope of
cool roof applicability.

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 ❖ While the energy savings of a dark colored cool roof will not be equivalent to that
of a white or lighter colored roof, it will deliver more energy savings than its
traditional non-cool counterpart.
❖ Cool roofs can be selected from a wide variety of materials and colors, and can be
advantageously applied to almost any building or roof type, and in most locations.
❖ Moreover, cool roofs are a viable option for both new and existing building
applications. However, the extent of the benefits will correlate to the location of the
building (i.e., climate), type and use, as well as to the specific thermal properties of
the selected roofing product.
❖ For new buildings, the incremental cost of adding cool roofs is minimal, or, at times,
none.
❖ For existing buildings too, the additional expenses may be insignificant if the retrofit
is properly integrated with the re- roofing schedule.
❖ Conventional materials for standard roofing are now available with their cool roof
counterparts. White roofs are characterized by a high SRI.
Aging and Maintenance
❖ Roofs are exposed to fluctuating weather conditions, solar radiation, and pollution.
This may lower the solar reflectance of cool roofing materials.
❖ Studies have indicated that roof surfaces with undulations and low-slopes are more
susceptible to lowered reflectivity due dirt accumulation compared to surfaces that
are smooth and have high gradients.
❖ Owing to their smooth surfaces, metal, concrete, and clay roof tiles should have less
than 20 percent degradation.
❖ Specialized cool roof coatings tend to self-clean with sun, rain, and proper
drainage and extend service life of underlying roof membrane, but may require
re-coating approximately every 5 to 10 years, depending on warranty.
❖ The building owner should require a warranty stating that after five years the cool
material will remain in place and retain at least 70 percent of its initial reflectivity.
❖ Standard maintenance practices as suggested by the roofing manufacturer will keep
the cool roof 'cool' for a longer time.

3.4.2 Relative Thermal Advantages of Materials of Roofs Used

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 S.No. Construction Materials of Roof in Relative Thermal Advantage of roof category
Households

1. Grass/Thatch/Bamboo/ These materials do not as such qualify to be useful for any

Wood/Mud/Plastic/Polythene
2. Tiles (Hand and Machine made)
3. G.I./Metal/Asbestos sheets
additional thermal advantages of any of 3 cool roof
categories. In practice, such roofs are also devoid of any
evapo-transpiration advantage of green roofs.
The kind of tiles used in rural set up are both hard to work
on with coatings. If used somehow, the maintenance
would be costly and advantage feeble. Thus, Tiles as roof
material also do not as such qualify to be useful for any
additional thermal advantages of any of 3 cool roof
categories.
Readily qualify to be useful for coated cool roof category.

4. Concrete Readily qualify to be useful for cool roofs.

5. Any other material (Burnt Brick, Some of these materials qualify to be useful for cool roofs.
Stone/Slate, Other materials)

3.4.3 Scope of Cool Roofs in Current Household Scenario

In order to drive home the scope of cool roofs, for their technologically possible relative
thermal advantages, various construction materials of roof used in the above household
scenario were grouped. Households data of first two categories viz Grass/Thatch/Bamboo
and Tiles was categorized as a Non-Cool Roof and next two categories
(G.I./Metal/Asbestos and Concrete) were categorized as a Cool Roof.

3.4.4 Benefits of Cool Roofs

Cool roofs provide numerous benefits at the micro level as well as the community level. Cool
roofs conserve energy and enhance thermal comfort because the interior of a building is subject
to less thermal flux. They assist in mitigating the urban heat island effect, and when installed
comprehensively, can result in lowered ambient air temperatures on an urban scale.

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Substituting a cool roof for a warm roof reduces conduction of heat into the
building, convection of heat into the outside air, and thermal radiation of heat into the
atmosphere. This benefits our buildings, our cities, and our planet.

❖ Cooler outside air. Cool roofs lower urban air temperatures by reducing the
amount of heat transferred from roofs to the air, mitigating the urban heat
island effect.
❖ Fewer power plant emissions. Reflective roofs reduce cooling energy demand in
airconditioned buildings, decreasing emissions of greenhouse gases and other air
pollutants at power plants that burn fossil fuels.
❖ Better air quality. Cool roofs decrease urban air temperatures and thus slow the
formation of ground level ozone. Ozone, the primary component of smog, can
aggravate respiratory illness and can act as a greenhouse gas.
❖ Slowed climate change. Cool roofs decrease heat absorbed at the Earth's surface
and thus can lower surface temperatures. This decrease in surface temperatures
reduces the flow of heat into the atmosphere, offsetting warming caused by
greenhouse gases.
❖ Energy and cost savings. During hot summer months, cool roofs reduce the need
for cooling in airconditioned buildings, which saves energy and money.
❖ Reduced electrical grid strain. The diminished demand for cooling energy will also
moderate peak energy demand during heat waves and very hot summer afternoons,
thereby decreasing the risk of power outages.
❖ Improved indoor comfort. Cool roofs lower the indoor air temperature in buildings
that do not have air conditioning, promoting productivity and occupant health.

Building Level Benefits

❖ Cool roofs reduce both the energy use and energy demand of a building. During the
cooling season, cool roofs reduce heat conduction through the roof during the day, and
hence reduce air-conditioning energy use.
❖ During sunny cold winter days, however, cool roofs may cause a marginal increase in
heating energy consumption. In Delhi and other composite climate zones, potential
heating penalties are a small fraction of cooling-energy savings due to the long cooling
seasons and short heating seasons.

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 ❖ Moreover, buildings require cooling during the summer season, especially during
daytime when the incident solar radiation is intense (and therefore when cool roofs are
most effective), while heating is needed during the early morning hours during winters
when there is little or no solar radiation present (and therefore when cool roofs are
marginally effective or ineffective).
❖ Thus, cool roofs are very effective in reducing the summer electricity use with minimal
impact on winter heating. In general, savings in annual net utility costs can be expected
for most buildings.
❖ Most HVAC systems are designed to meet the cooling loads during peak summer
conditions. Cool roofs reduce the peak cooling load and consequently, the system size
required to meet this load.
❖ As a major portion of the energy savings due to cool roofs is realized during peak
hours (when the electricity demand is the highest), its application assumes even more
significance as a tool to reduce energy demand.
❖ Research has shown that cool roofs also help increase the life expectancy of roofing
systems because extreme cycles of heating and cooling tend to wear out materials as they
expand and contract with the temperature.
❖ Cool roofs on the other hand, keep the roof a more constant temperature and therefore,
tend to last longer.
Neighborhood and City Level Benefits
❖ By reflecting the incident solar radiation back into the atmosphere and reemitting the
absorbed portion of the incident radiation as infrared radiation, cool roofs result in
cooler air temperatures for the surrounding urban environment during hot summer
months.
❖ With lower daytime ambient temperatures, buildings and vehicles are confronted by a
smaller temperature differential – leading to additional energy savings and
subsequently a reduction in harmful emissions from power plants.
❖ While reducing ambient air temperatures, cool roofs also improve air quality by
curtailing or eliminating smog formation. Smog is created by photochemical reactions
of air pollutants - higher temperatures provide impetus to these reactions. Improved air
quality also results in a reduction in heat-related and smog-related health issues,
including heat stroke and asthma.

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COOL ROOF DESIGN 55