New roofs to keep Delhi cool this summer

NEW DELHI - The scorching Delhi summer may still be months away, but the government is already bracing itself by encouraging people to go for ‘cool roofs’ that reflect heat, thus keeping a building cool, an official said Wednesday.

Roofs that are painted in a light shade like white or lime paints or covered in light colour tiles are termed as ‘cool roofs’. They conserve energy and enhance thermal comfort because the interior of a building is subject to less thermal flux.

The decision was taken by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.

“The government will encourage cool roofs in the city as they have the ability to reflect and reject heat because the roofs are prepared with materials which have properties of both high solar reflectance and emittance,” said Dikshit.

As a pilot project, it was decided that the government will introduce cool roofing in its buildings such as the Delhi Secretariat and various hospitals and schools.

“Awareness would be spread further by means of a well-drafted manual while the residential welfare associations will also be roped in to promote the initiative.”

“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 temperatures,” an official said.

“Cool roofs, on the other hand, keep the roof at a more constant temperature and therefore, tend to last longer,” the official added.