Often in our discussion about Cool Roofs, we come across the challenges of Cool Roof adoption.One of the most pertinent reasons among others turns out to be the high initial costs in it’s installation. We term it as prohibitive cost, a vital hurdle in adopting a new yet effective solution in the market. Just like any other new technology and innovative practices, cool roof market has to traverse through these initial phases where the luddite perceptions regarding high upfront costs prevent market percolation.

While it’s beyond certain the application of cool roofs in your roof surface would entail a cost, the long term effects of ignoring this has deleterious effects. Investing in cool roofs is investing for a future ready abode, creating the necessary arsenal to combat the pressing issues of climate induced heating. According to United Nations Environment Programme( UNEP), 60% of the low and middle income countries lack the financial resources to combat the rising temperatures. Usually, these countries are at the forefront of climate change. The real cost of climate change is felt by ignoring or refusing to initiate mitigation measures. The true cost manifests in the following ways: 

• Economic: while it might seem prudent , in the short term ,to counter the heating of roof surfaces by using more air conditioner, the long term usage of such mitigation measured inflict a heavy cost.According to a study conducted by California Laboratories, cool roofs can reduce AC demand in peak summers by 30% and the resultant savings reflected in lower energy bills by 40% in the sample homes surveyed. Cool roofs have also proved it’s efficacy in reducing urban heat island effects, thereby reducing the pressure on existing electricity grids in tier 1 cities of the globe 

• Health: higher temperature spares none, it comes with it’s own hideous saga of metabolic symptoms. The rise of temperatures is intrinsically associated with metabolic malfunction, especially among children and elderly. Heat strokes, lethargy, vertigo, confusion, lack of concentration, increasing heart rate are the manifestations of consequences. The out of pocket expenditure on health has been on the rise in tropical countries like India and it needs no second guesses as to what caused it.Cool roofs are a must for children and geriatric crowd in typically hot tropical areas of India. 

• Environment: we often do not recognise our small contributions finally taking condensing into something serious,something we are no longer capable of handling. The increase in electricity demand to mitigate the challenge of rising heat accentuates more fossil fuel burning. In India, where thermal energy dominates the energy basket, rise of electricity demand is directly proportional to rise in green house gas emissions, which is burnt during the processing of electricity through thermal energy. Shifting to 100% green energy over night is neither sustainable nor sagacious. Under such circumstances, putting a cap on the demand side of consumption becomes essential, especially when our country is reeling from severe air pollution. Cool roofs reduce energy demand by 30% in the long term. Products like LuminX is environmentally friendly, with low Volatile organic compounds,having requisite certifications.

• Other options: while other cooling methods are also available, the combined costs far outweighs the results as compared to cool roof coatings. Green roofs are a wonderful alternative, however it comes with the added challenges of maintaining the vegetation. The creation of a green palisade on roof surface also requires strategic pruning, efficient drainage, pest control mechanisms. In most cases, the maintenance becomes a financial fester, draining all the positive reverberations green roofs bring. Afforestation and building geometry are other methods but both require decades before showing requisite results. Cool roofs are easy to adopt and  requires minimum maintenance. 

So from the above, it’s aptly clear that the prohibitive  costs concerning cool roofs, don’t stand the scrutiny when we dive into the details. We at LuminX, believe in equity ,and wish to relegate cooling not as an elitist consumption, but universal adoption.