Raj with Berger products ... high standards.
Berger thermal coating cuts costs
Berger has developed a heat reflective coating that, when applied, is claimed to reduce cooling costs by more than 25 per cent.
01 May 2010
IN A drive to boost energy savings in the construction industry, Berger Paints has developed a special thermal reflective coating that can help achieve substantial saving on air-conditioning costs.
Berger Insuflex, when applied on building exteriors, can save energy by reducing air-conditioning costs by 25 per cent or more, according to P K Raj, head of Berger Paints, UAE.
According to research conducted by Florida Solar Energy Centre (FSEC), as much as 47 per cent of primary energy is consumed by occupants of buildings, 35 per cent by transportation and 18 per cent by industry.
Energy consumed in buildings is further divided into 55 per cent for residential use and 45 per cent for non-residential.
FSEC also established that air-conditioning in buildings comprises the largest single consumer of 30 to 45 per cent of total energy.
Berger Paints has developed Berger Insuflex keeping in mind the quantum of energy required for air-conditioning and the global demand for a reduction in energy consumption and saving of natural resources.
The product is designed to withstand harsh Middle Eastern climatic conditions, where summer daytime temperatures touch 48 deg C or more. Due to conduction heat passes through concrete and metal to heat up building interiors. A good thermal reflection product like Berger Insuflex effectively reduces heat from the outside by reflecting solar and infrared radiation, says Raj.
“Berger Insuflex has been approved after stringent tests by independent testing laboratories and demanding clients in the Middle East like Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco),” he points out. “It is certified by Geoscience of the US for use as an energy-saving coating with certified test results for solar reflectivity of 84 per cent that reflects the sun’s energy and infrared emissivity of 76 per cent that turns away heat energy from the sun.”
“Berger Insuflex is based on a 100 per cent pure acrylic and elastomeric emulsion which gives outstanding UV (ultraviolet) resistance,” says V Chandramouly, technology manager, Berger Paints, UAE. “The product is based on the Hollow Sphere technology, where specially-prepared vitreous hollow spheres are used in the formulation to reduce heat absorption.”
Besides being a thermal reflective coating, Berger Insuflex also has excellent anti-carbonation properties and high crack bridging capability, according to the company.
The new product is a demonstration of Berger Paints’ commitment to the green initiatives being taken worldwide to reduce carbon footprint.
Berger Paints’ group companies in the Middle East and elsewhere across the world have, on their own initiative, undertaken to capture the company’s carbon footprint. Through painstaking collection of data relating to carbon emissions by individual units, transporters and external vendors, Berger Paints says it is confident of achieving and exceeding standards set by the Green House Gas (GHG) protocol.
Even in office and administrative areas, Berger Paints sets high benchmarks. Says Anjum Perwez, operations and production manager, Berger Paints, UAE: “Through simple steps like optimising domestic water consumption, replacing standard basin water taps with push-type taps, fixing of orifices to control flow-rate of water, sequence management of garden water sprinkler and effective lighting, Berger Paints has ensured every employee understands the need to respect available resources and practice conservation in everything they do.”
In the area of solid waste management, Berger Paints has taken the lead by successfully reducing the quantum of waste generation. It is also working on various options to effectively recycle the waste.
Berger Paints is one of the oldest and well-established players in the international paints industry and enjoys a rich 250-year-old heritage. Its operations in the Middle East are a part of Berger International Limited (BIL), a part of the Asian Paints Group, which ranks among the top 10 decorative coatings companies in the world.
The $1 billion Asian Paints Group, with a presence in 20 countries, is spread across the Caribbean, the Middle East, South Asia, South East Asia and South Pacific region. It has 30 paint manufacturing facilities worldwide which serve customers in over 50 countries.
