Performance of antisolar insulated roof system

Rooms with concrete slab roofs directly exposed to the sun become unbearably hot during summer and very cold during winter. Huge amounts of energy are required to keep them comfortable. Application of thermal insulation on roofs significantly reduces energy required for heating and cooling. The effectiveness of roof insulations may be further enhanced if a layer of antisolar coating is applied on top of the insulation. The antisolar coating reflects most of the incident sunlight and prevents the roof from heating up. This reduces the daily cycles of thermal expansion and contraction which cause cracks in the roof slabs for the rainwater to leak through. The antisolar coating prolongs the useful life of the building structure as well as the life of the insulation that evaporates with heat. The method of application of the antisolar coating has been specially developed to eliminate thermal bridges formed between the edges of the tiles. This report presents the results of an experiment conducted at the Attock Refinery Limited (ARL) Rawalpindi to assess the performance of the antisolar insulated roof system. Record of the room temperature before and after the installation of the system shows a significant reduction in the indoor temperature. The room occupants, who used to experience a very high thermal stress after 10:30 am in spite of the 1.5-ton air conditioner operating in the room, felt much relieved after the installation. They had to turn back the thermostat of the air conditioner and even had to switch it off occasionally. A detailed thermal analysis of the room shows that cost of an antisolar system is paid back in less than a year in the form of savings of energy required for air-conditioning in summer and for gas heating in winter. In addition, the system prevents the addition of 150 kg per year of green house gases to the atmosphere for each square meter of the area covered by the system. It also provides a quieter environment by reducing the operational duration of the air-conditioning and gas heating appliances.