Heat Reflective Glaze Offers Energy Savings

January 21, 2004 [SolarAccess.com] While a variety of renewable energy technologies can directly provide electricity or hot water for a home, the economics of saving energy are a big factor in green building as well. A new product, distributed by Uniglaze, claims to reduce a building’s overall energy needs and is now available to the U.S. market. “Thermoshield” is a water-based, thermoplastic resin, and was developed within the Lawrence Berkeley Lab Title 24 guidelines. Title 24 mandated heat-reflective roofing treatments will be a reality officially imposed no later than 2005. And Thermoshield, Uniglaze’s latest heat reflective coating, performed in the upper 5-10 percentile, in tests performed by the accredited Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC) -exceeding Title 24 requirements, according to the company. The heat-protective product can be used for stucco and roofing; including wood shake, concrete & concrete tile, composite shingle, stone, and marble, and acts to lower the air-conditioning (AC) needs of a building. Used in heat-intensive Australia for years, when correctly applied, it has proved to reduce AC costs by 15-20% per year, drastically reducing wall and ceiling-cavity temperatures. Maintenance is cost effective with Thermoshield; a pressure wash can eliminate the need for multiple coatings given that its non-porous texture reduces dirt accumulation.