Cool roofs to conserve energy

• In order to conserve energy used for cooling buildings, the Delhi Government plans to promote the concept of "cool roofs."
• The Government would encourage the creation of cool roofs which are prepared with materials that have both high reflection and emission levels. The concept would be tried in Delhi Secretariat and various hospitals and schools first.
• The 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. Cool roofs, on the other hand, keep the roof at a more constant temperature and the structures therefore tend to last longer.
• Cool roofing can be implemented in three ways. These involve use of paint, glazed tiles and lime coating. While lime coating is the cheapest, it requires repetition after every six months whereas laying of glazed tiles though costlier is more long lasting. As for application of paint, it was stated that it will cost in between the two and will have life of around two years.