SA Roofing June 2018 // Issue 101 | Page 20

FEATURES Regulating internal temperature should take a holistic approach. “The type of roof materials used and Product selection depends on client’s positioning of houses all contribute to the specifications such as, how long they’d performance of the envelope. It is always like the product to last and how they’d advisable to try and insulate as close to like it to work. “It is important to the heat source as possible. This always understand the products performance offers the best solution,” Jeffery advises. value. Some products will last the life It’s all in the roof time of a building,” he says. Factors such as gravitational “Roof coverings are ordinarily limited to compaction and moisture retention can four types – thatch, tiles (such as, reduce the life span and performance of concrete tiles, natural slate tiles and the product. Jeffery cautions that ceramic tiles), steel or concrete decks. I there is little maintenance that can am only familiar with steel and concrete,” revert longevity. Jeffery says. design of “ the The roof plays a role in the effectiveness of temperature regulation.” Its important to consider how the He explains that concrete is insulated insulation is installed as Jeffery describes either above in a warm deck application that this aspect can hamper the products or below in a cold deck application using performance. “Independent testing has rigid insulation. Steel on the other hand revealed that an overall reduction of up to uses heat reflective coating technology. 75%. This means that 135mm insulation “This is, in essence, a specialised paint material should offer 3.4Km²/W, when system that pigments filter the UV light compressed in application it with only when above a certain temperature,” achieve an approximate 1.7Km²/W, for he says. example,” he says. See more on page 20 18 JUNE 2018 RESIDENTIAL // COMMERCIAL // INDUSTRIAL