Cool Roofs Lower Building Temperatures in Gwanak-gu, Showing Effective Results

Rooftop Temperature Reduced by Up to 30℃ During Heatwaves, Summer Cooling Energy Use Cut by About 20%... - Seoul's Only Recipient of 120 Million KRW National Environmental Fund, Construction Completed at 46 Public Senior Centers

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Junhee) installed cool roofs on the rooftops of 46 public facilities used by vulnerable groups, such as district-run senior centers and district-run daycare centers, in June. The effectiveness before and after installation was proven using thermal imaging cameras.

A cool roof is a white paint applied to rooftops that reflects sunlight and radiates heat. It can lower rooftop temperatures by up to 30℃ in midsummer, preventing heat accumulation on rooftops and thereby reducing damage from heatwaves, urban heat islands, and tropical nights.

Additionally, by lowering rooftop temperatures, it reduces the use of cooling energy inside buildings during summer, cutting CO₂ emissions, improving air pollution, and mitigating global warming.

An official from the district explained, “On the 9th, using a thermal imaging camera to measure the rooftop temperatures of the Jungang-dong Jungang Senior Center, where the cool roof was installed, and the surrounding buildings, the senior center’s rooftop was 37.2℃, while the building across the street was 59.2℃, showing a temperature difference of 22℃,” highlighting the effect before and after cool roof installation.

This ‘Cool Roof Installation Project for Public Facilities’ promoted by the district was achieved by actively participating in the Ministry of Environment’s ‘2020 National Subsidy Project for Enhancing Climate Change Resilience.’

Among Seoul’s autonomous districts, only Gwanak-gu was selected, receiving 120 million KRW in national funding. Together with 120 million KRW from the district budget, a total of 240 million KRW was invested to complete cool roof installations on 46 public facilities in the first half of the year.

Mayor Park Junhee said, “Cool roofs are an efficient energy-saving method that can be applied to various roof types at a lower cost compared to rooftop greening. We will actively promote the cool roof installation project, which lowers indoor temperatures, helps avoid urban heat islands, and reduces cooling energy, so that it can also be activated in the private sector.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.