Oct 8 2010
A new demonstration project at the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) shows that saving a lot of energy at home can be achieved by simply choosing the right paint.
The national lab and its industry partners last week unveiled four average-sized homes in Oak Ridge, Tenn., which were built to showcase energy efficiency technologies that provide the greatest value in energy savings. The four homes are expected to use 55% to 60% less energy than conventional houses with comparable amenities.
Textured Coatings of America was the exclusive provider of the exterior paint for the Oak Ridge project. The homes used TEX-COTE's COOLWALL primer and top coat. COOLWALL is a heat-reflective technology that reflects the sun's infrared energy and UV radiation. COOLWALL, which is used on major commercial buildings as well as homes, lowers wall surface temperatures by as much as 40 degrees Fahrenheit, reducing energy demand — and costs.
On the Oak Ridge project, the use of COOLWALL alone will deliver 20% to 30% of the energy savings expected.
"Most of these colors [used on homes] have solar reflectances that are double that of traditional pigments," said Andre Desjarlais, Program Manager for ORNL's Building Envelopes Program. "The temperature difference across the wall is cut down by 20-30%, which is a substantial reduction in the amount of heating energy going into that building just because of the paint."
COOLWALL is available in 570 colors, yet even with darker hues offers the high reflectivity and efficiency of a white coating. The technology is environmentally friendly (low VOC), highly fade resistant and long lasting.
In addition to energy savings, COOLWALL offers extreme durability — better than twice that of standard paint — and has even been proven to help homes withstand hurricanes. Big box stores, government agencies, universities and corporate headquarters are increasingly turning to COOLWALL technology for its attractive energy and maintenance savings. Users can also earn Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) credits in three categories for applying the technology to residential or commercial buildings.
Said Jay Haines, President and CEO of TEX COTE, "Providing an environmentally friendly solution for homes and buildings is our company's priority. We are honored to be a part of this project and hope it will demonstrate to consumers around the country that with technology like COOLWALL, you don't have to compromise the exterior appearance of your home to be more energy efficient."