Temperature Control

Homeowners who have opted for clay tiles or dark-coloured roofing material will feel the absorbed heat from the sun within the house. If you want to reflect the heat instead of absorbing it, you need a cooling roof that is light in colour and made of materials that have high solar reflectance.

This is crucial in places where temperatures get high, such as in Southeast Asia, as the roof will be the hottest place in the building during hot days. While roof insulation can help, it does not eliminate the problem for most homes. A cooling roof coating, however, can help save up to 15%* of the energy that would otherwise go into air-conditioning.

* Depends on the level of insulation, colour, and building shape.
Source: Energy Efficient Singapore.

The design of metal roofing can also help to further reduce cost and save energy for your house. Most metal roofing types are not only reflective, but also easily vented, which helps to keep your home cool in the summer. 

When constructing the roof, it is important to keep the contact between the steel roofing and the structure underneath minimal, in order to stop the heat transfer.  Another way to further keep the temperature low and reflect the heat is by using steel roofing that is pre-painted in light colors, which ideally uses cooling pigments. For further heat and noise reduction, consider adding an insulation layer to the steel roof sheets. 

Homeowners that are exposed to high-intensity heat for significant parts of the year should carefully consider the materials for their house roof, as it does not only save energy costs, but can also impact temperature control in the house.