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The Hindu : A way to beat the heatThe latest heat-busting product to hit the market is a reflective, insulating compound that can be applied to the roof to bring down the temperature, writes T. NandakumarWith summer just round the corner, city residents are exploring ways to beat the heat and reduce the energy spent on operating air-conditioners inside their buildings. Thanks to new materials and technology, there are a range of options to keep a building cool.Light roofing, laying hollow bricks on the terrace and painting the roof slab with white cement are some of the conventional methods adopted by builders and contractors.The latest heat-busting product to hit the market is a reflective, insulating compound that can be applied to the roof to bring down the temperature substantially.Sensing the potential, most companies manufacturing construction chemicals have added heat-reflective compounds to their product portfolio. They claim that the compound is capable of lowering the indoor temperature by up to 15 degrees Celsius.Apart from the solar heat resistance, the more advanced brands also offer effective leak-proof qualities.In a concrete structure, the roof absorbs most of the heat that makes life unbearable for the occupants during summer. Intermittent exposure to rain and heat weakens the concrete on the terrace, leading to cracks and small leaks on the roof. Fixing a leaking concrete roof is expensive, messy and often fails to deliver.Re-radiating compoundSays, A.K. Suresh, promoter of the Perma Cool brand of solar re-radiating compound manufactured by the Malappuram-based Polychem Formulations, “By re-radiating 98.76 per cent of sunrays, heat-reflective compounds prevent the roof from getting heated up during daytime. Laboratory tests have proved that application of the compound lowers the temperature inside the building substantially. By reducing the use of air-conditioners and electric fans, it helps save power.”Perma Cool, a combination of nine metallic oxides, is also claimed to have leak-proof characteristics. “The coating fills the minute cracks on the roof…More