ARCAT

COOLWALL® Frequently Asked Questions


Question 1:

How does the COOLWALL® System compare to those coatings claiming to be “ceramic”?

ANSWER:

The so called “ceramic” coatings actually are ordinary coatings that have had small ceramic spheres added. The premise sounds good, except that the science does not support the claims that are made. Even though these coatings may be applied heavier than ordinary paint, there simply is not enough thickness to effect insulation of any measure. These ceramic coatings have been debunked by the Department of Energy and the Federal Trade Commission and they do not increase reflectivity.

To see the DOE “CERAMICS” video CLICK HERE.

Question 2:

What is the life of the COOLWALL® SYSTEM?

ANSWER:

“The COOLWALL® System is designed to last a lifetime. Testing in our state-of-the-art xenon weathering chamber showed the COOLWALL® System was still performing beautifully after the equivalent of more than 10 years exposure, with no end in sight!”

Question 3:

What is the recoat procedure?

ANSWER:

1. Recoating should begin with a clean, sound surface.
2. If recoating with the same color, COOLWALL® finish may be applied without a primer.
3. If recoating in a different color, you may require both COOLWALL® primer and finish.

Question 4:

What is the Green Seal- Class “A” Green Seal 11?

ANSWER:

Currently refers to interior paints only. A product such as COOLWALL® SYSTEM meets the Green Seal requirements.

Question 5:

What are three DELTA (Δ) values of fade?

ANSWER:

A color difference of 1 DELTA (Δ) value is the point where a color difference begins to be perceptible to the average person’s eye. A difference of 3 DELTA (Δ) values is a difference noticeable by most people.

Question 6:

What effect does the COOLWALL® SYSTEM have on previously painted projects that are to be rehabilitated with COOLWALL®?

ANSWER:

COOLWALL® should have negligible effect to an existing film as it relates to stress. The existing paint should be clean and sound with proper adhesion to the substrate. COOLWALL®, will be the same regardless of whether it is applied to an existing paint or coating film or a substrate that has never been painted or coated before.

Question 7:

How does COOLWALL® reflect heat without changing color?

ANSWER:

The ability of COOLWALL® to keep wall surfaces cooler is based on its ability to reflect a much greater percentage of the non-visible portion of the spectrum leaving the color relatively unaffected.

COOLWALL® has tremendous performance to reflect these elements. The ability of COOLWALL® to keep wall surfaces cooler is based on its ability to reflect a much greater percentage of the non-visible portion of the spectrum relatively unaffected.

Question 8:

Municipalities restricting color selection by Architects/Owners because of rapid fading are limiting selection of conventional paints to pastel & earth tones only. Does COOLWALL® have limited color choices?

ANSWER:

COOLWALL® will provide the designer the opportunity to select a much wider range of colors in medium and deep tones without the concern of fading.

Question 9:

What is the COOLWALL® Strategy for LEED Project Submissions?

ANSWER:

Texcote recently had a lengthy discussion with Mr. Tom Hicks, Vice President of the U.S. Green Building Council about how the COOLWALL® system can best be included into a project’s LEED submission to assure the greatest possibility of credits being granted.

While Texcote believes that COOLWALL® will ultimately qualify for credit under three categories (MR Credit 4.1: Recycled Content 10%, ID Credit 1-1.4: Innovation in Design, and SSC Credit 7.1 – Heat Island Effect: Non-Roof) Tom Hicks believes the best strategy for success at this time would be to apply under two categories. The first of these two categories would be the MR Credit 4.1: Recycled Content 10% (post consumer content + 50% x pre-consumer content) category. This category is clear-cut and should not pose any issues. The second credit would then be approached through one of the two following strategies (“Route A” or “Route B”).

Using “Route A”, in addition to the MR Credit 4.1: Recycled Content 10%, the second category to be applied for would be under the “ID Credit 1-1.4: Innovation in Design” category. This category allows the appraiser the most latitude of all of the other categories. The energy saving benefits of COOLWALL® as validated and documented in the Department of Energy ORNL report would be important to include in this portion of the submission package.

For the second credit under “Route B”, in addition to the MR Credit 4.1: Recycled Content 10%, the second category to be applied for would be the SSC Credit 7.1 – Heat Island Effect: Non-Roof. This would need to be done in the form of a CIR (Credit Interpretation Request) since the metrics of that category do not provide for the energy saving benefits afforded by COOLWALL®. “Route B” would be more precedent setting, but probably more difficult as well. Depending on the appraiser assigned, there is still a significant possibility that this could be rejected.

In the case of rejection under either of the two categories above, it was strongly recommended at this stage to pursue the appeal process that the LEED system allows for. At that point there will be a larger hearing of the application and further supporting evidence such as the ORNL Department of Energy report would be brought into the picture.

Tom Hicks is a believer in the technology and should be useful acting as a facilitator as we progress through the early applications to assure they have the greatest possibility for success. The most important aspect here is to get the first successful application through the system. This will serve as precedent that will allow subsequent applications to use as a reference to help ensure the granting of credit.

While the EA-1 Credit 1: Optimize Energy Efficiency would appear at face value to be a good fit, Tom Hicks feels that this is actually unlikely to have much chance of success in being granted. He recommends not pursuing this category at this time.

Question 10:

How does COOLWALL® relate to a Wall System “R” Rating?

ANSWER:

COOLWALL® does not work by an “insulation” process and thus it does not have an “R value” (R stands for resistance). Instead, COOLWALL® reflects the infrared energy from the sun so that the wall does not get as hot in the first place. This substantially reduces the amount of heat that the fiberglass or other type of insulation needs to keep out. By increasing Solar Reflectivity in the entire color spectrum, COOLWALL® is reducing surface temperatures and cooling costs.

Question 11:

What are the potential cost savings with COOLWALL®?

ANSWER:

COOLWALL® has been tested by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory to reduce cooling costs by up to 21.9%* (percentage savings are based on DOE study which showed savings ranging from 4.2 – *21.9%).

*Percentage of cooling costs and surface temperature reductions will vary based on color chosen, geographical location, climate conditions, and substrate type. In some climates there may be a heating penalty. For supporting documentation on cooling cost savings CLICK HERE.