Climate Change


Governments around the world have recognised the dangers of failing to deal with the issues of global warming and at the UN conference in Kyoto in December 1997 the text of a Protocol for co-operation in dealing with the issue was ratified. By September 2000, at the Hague Convention, the Protocol had received 186 ratification signatures and many countries are now introducing legislation similar to the UK Climate Change Levy Bill which was published in the finance Bill in March 2000.

Industry will be set targets for reductions in the emission of harmful gases and a system of credits is likely to evolve which will be exchanged/traded between participating countries. As welcome as these measures are, for the protection of our planet, they will not be without cost to industry and the consumer.

A simple and cost efficient way to reduce energy consumption and therefore "greenhouse gas" emissions is the tried and tested method of applying robust solar reflective coatings to appropriate roof structures and to south facing walls.

Research carried out for W.H Screeton by Cardiff Univeristy, updated in 2001 by Energy Equipment testing Services Ltd (PV Systems) of Cardiff, UK found the following:

Links between Energy Savings and Reduced Emissions.

In addition to increasing longevity of roofs and significant reduction in energy costs, see case history for private residence in Diamond Springs California, the solar reflective properties of Screeton Retroflect can help reduce harmful CO2 emissions.

It is apparent that a reduction in the use of energy has the effect of reducing the amount of emissions into the atmosphere caused by the production of that energy.

Energy used for air conditioning of buildings is generally in the form of electricity. The emissions created by electricity production vary from time to time and place to place. However, for the UK, the average value is around 150 kg of CO2 for every GJ of electricity produced.

Similar research carried out in the Far East (reference - The calculation of the effects on cooling loads of coating a flat roof with Screeton’s solar reflective coating in Singapore - EETS Dec. 2000) and USA (reference - The Calculation of the Effective Summer Insulation Value of Retroflect Roof Coating for San Diego, California, USA - EETS Dec 2000) have shown corresponding energy reductions, and therefore similarly reduced CO2 emissions.

This corresponds to 0.47 kg CO2 for every kWh of electricity (reference UK DETR Non-Domestic Energy Fact File ISBN 1 86081 205 8 - 1998)

Thus the saving of energy for air conditioning can be related directly to the savings in emissions to the atmosphere when using suitable Solar Reflective Coatings on roofs and south facing walls.

Similar findings have been published by other research bodies one of which can be found at the following Internet site:

Sacramento Cool Community Program