Cool roof tech helps mitigate severe heat impact: Expert

Cool roof technologies like lime wash, mosaic tiles and cool paints can result in bringing down the roof temperature significantly, subsequently easing out impact of severe heat on dwellers, an expert has said.
"If you adopt this (cool roof) technology, when sun's rays hit the roof, it reflects back. But, if it is not white, it absorbs the heat. So the entire roof becomes hot. Sometimes it goes to the level 70 to 80 degree Centigrade," Associate Professor (Energy Area), Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI), Rajkiran V Bilolikar told PTI.
"If you apply this cool paint, it reduces the temperature," he said.

He was interacting after giving a presentation on cool roof technologies at a workshop on 'Climate Change', organised by Centre for Media Studies in partnership with Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change and German Agency for International Cooperation here yesterday.
The roof temperature would be reduced by 20-30 degree Centigrade based on the materials used and it leads to reduction in room temperature by two to three degrees (Centigrade), he said.
Studies conducted in International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Hyderabad, and elsewhere in the world have proved that how cool roof technologies would help in reducing the impact of heat, Bilolikar claimed.

The cool roof technologies include lime wash, cool paint, mosaic tiles and shingles, he said.
Underprivileged groups, including residents of slums, can use white flex material instead of black-coloured materials, Bilolikar said.
Cool roof technology is being promoted to support the heat action plan announced by Telangana government, he said.