Santiago-Chile, at Mall Plaza Vespucio Shopping Center

Located in Santiago-Chile, at Mall Plaza Vespucio Shopping Center, which is one of the oldest in Latin America. This place holds a house-care shop known as HOMY (www.homy.cl) located at the top level of the building. The problem started when HOMY noticed that they were not achieving their sales expectative, and they recognized that main reason was that the store has a high temperature during summer time, which leaded the customer to buy quickly and leave the place as soon as possible. There was not a “comfort temperature” which the retail business sets at 24°C. They realised that the roof had no insulation whatsoever, which leaded to surfaces temperatures up to 50°C inside the store. Another particularity is that the roof of the store is also a parking lot in the outside face. This store has 7,000 square meters of roof and was using 5 big A/C generators, full capacity all day.

Solution

Betapaint Ltda. proposed to generate thermal isolation (radiation) using Super Therm®, which was a perfect solution, given we won’t bother the normal development of the store –we didn´t intervened the inside of the shop. The works terms and the costs were also lower than they had as other solutions. We were the only company who could offer thermal isolation without asking them to close or interfere with the inside of the store. Super Therm® was the only solution that provided LEED points (In Chile the LEED program is very important). As said before, the coating was applied outside; facing the sun and it was a big success. The surface temperature dropped from 63°-65°C to 28°-30°C. (Data was taken during environmental temperatures of 32°C). Given the surface where Super Therm® was applied is also a parking lot, we had to protect the insulation from car and pedestrian transit. For that we applied Enamo Grip 5000 clear. It is also important to indicate that our proposal went through the architectural and engineering departments of Mall Plaza (owner of the building) and Sodimac-HOMY (owner of the store).

Results

Both Mall Plaza and SODIMAC – HOMY were both extremely satisfied with the performance of Super Therm® and the solution that we proposed and applied at the store. The inside temperature went down to comfort levels, and the usage of the A/C systems was substantially reduced.

The post Mall Plaza Vespucio Shopping Center, Santiago-Chile – Super Therm® appeared first on SPI Coatings.

Products Rust Grip® and Enamo Grip®

Rust Grip® Encapsulates Lead-Based Paint, Asbestos and Rust

The United States Army Construction and Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL) contracted with Manta Industrial, Hammond, IN to conduct field demonstration and implementation of a cost-effective lead-base paint encapsulation procedure for the protection of steel structures, such as hangars, tanks, and bridges that contain lead-base paint usingRust Grip®. The maintenance and lead base paint encapsulation procedures include surface preparation, environmental protection requirements and paint application.

Rust Grip® is patented (Patent #5,695,812) as an effective abatement method of bio-hazardous material including lead-based paints, asbestos and rust.Rust Grip® is a moisture-cure urethane coating with special additives and resins. It is these additives and resins that separateRust Grip® from the other moisture-cure urethanes and allows it to be applied directly over existing, firmly bonded paint or rust without any loss of performance. Since the greatest expense in the coating of lead-base painted steel structures comes from the surface prep (abrasive blasting, etc.) and the containment of that residue, Rust Grip® will greatly reduce the overall costs of the project.Rust Grip® was developed to withstand the harshest environments and has a history of excellent performance.

The Problem

Lead-based paints (LBP) and primers have been used in the past by the Department of Defense (DoD) to protect steel structures from corrosion. LBP abatement and disposal is problematic because the removal of this paint creates hazardous dust and waste.

The DoD owns about 2 billion sq ft of buildings coated with some lead-based paint and about 200 million sq ft of steel structures coated with lead-based paint, such as aircraft hangars, tanks, and bridges. The Army owns 95,400 target facilities in the United States and 26,200 in foreign countries. The average age of these structures is 36 years; 90,000 were built before 1978 and probably contain lead-based paint. Furthermore, about 2600 of these facilities are on or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, and require special procedures for preservation.

The removal of LBP is generally performed by abrasive blasting and abrasive blasting creates its own environmental hazard. Containment and disposal of surface preparation debris, worker protection, and other regulatory compliance costs combine to make removal of LBP very expensive. The residual waste from LBP removal often contains enough lead to be considered a hazardous waste, thereby requiring special handling and disposal.

The Simmons Army Airfield at Fort Bragg contained numerous steel structures such as water tanks, bridges, aircraft hangars, antennas, ladders, poles, railings, catwalks, fire hydrants, fuel storage tanks, and metal buildings were constructed or installed with lead-based coatings. The removal of lead-based paint from steel structures is currently accomplished through a variety of methods, the most common being abrasive blasting which brings many issues such as containment and public safety along with noise and additional cost.

Prior to recoating steel structures, abrasive blasting is required in order to remove the old lead-based paint and to provide adequate surface profile for bonding the new paint to the substrate. During abrasive blasting, a tight containment structure is required to prevent lead dust from contaminating air, soil or water. Inside such containment structures, increased worker protection is required due to high lead dust concentrations. The large, concentrated volume of waste generated by abrasive blasting is hazardous and requires additional stabilization treatment prior to disposal.

Rust Grip® was introduced as a vital strategy to eliminates sandblasting and safely container the lead paint along with the dramatic reduction in cost for the projects on the site. See the full Department of Defence Report.

More Military Applications

Contact SPI Coatings regarding RUST GRIP®

The post Lead Based Paint Abatement and Encapsulation at Fort Bragg appeared first on SPI Coatings.

114,240 m2 of roofing coated with the SUPER BASE (HS) / SUPER THERM® System

ENERGY AUDIT AND REPORT

Attached are comparisons of our terminal electric bills for August and September 2008/2009. I was trying to get a feel for the potential gains made by the application of the Super Therm® roof coating product that was completed in early August 2009. I calculated the Cooling Degree Days (CCD) for each month and compared the kWh used per CDD for each month. There was a 22% savings in August 2009, and a 8% savings in September 2009.

The temperature change was +3.3°F over 2008 in August and +1.4°F over 2008 in September. According to ConEdison Energy, a 6°F change can relate to a 40% change in A/C cost. With the ambient temperature in 2009 being 3.3°F hotter, this could push the A/C cost up another 20% before SUPER THERM® was applied. Therefore, the savings reported could be 20% to the benefit more than reported.

Chris Wilt Airport Facilities Manager Chris Wilt [cwilt@tucsonairport.org]

Note: Results are only for this location, environment, set of weather conditions and cannot be guaranteed to produce the same results in other areas.

Additional notes below placed by J.E. Pritchett (SPI) concerning the resulting:

• A very important point is that the 22% savings for the airport was on the TOTAL energy bill (lighting, elevators, food facilities, etc).
• This simply means that the SUPER THERM® made a 40% reduction in the A/C costs. From the ENERGY UTILITIES companies, the A/C portion of a total energy bill is 55% which when calculated on the 22% savings of the total relates to the 40% savings in pure A/C costs.
• This is very substantial savings in the A/C cost savings.
• It also means that the A/C tonnage can be reduced to save more money. Equipment savings.
• Run time on the units is reduced which extends their life cycle and saves a tremendous amount of money on replacement or repair of equipment. Maintenance and repair savings.
• Therefore, the cost savings is much more than just the 40% savings for A/C.

SAVINGS:

With the total utility savings of $22,144 (22%) in August for the total facility and the A/C portion of the total utility being 55%, this relates to a 40% savings in A/C operational cost. The savings are beyond the A/C running cost, the units cycle more giving long life, less maintenance work and less tonnage to take care of the main terminal and wings.

ROI: The total roof area of the terminal is 374,804 sq.ft. applied at $2.10+/ sq.ft. is $787,088. With a cost reduction of $22,144 / month, this results in a 35.54 months return. This average can be a little less and could be much more when taking in the summer months. Point is that after 35 months, this savings amount is now available to offset budget needs without the need to find new funding.

RENTAL CAR WASH BAYS:

The car wash bays were done first, and we had to remove the existing elastomeric coating which was not adhering, was not water proofing and was not insulating.

MAIN TERMINAL ROOF COMPLEX: 114,240 m2

We coated the entire Tucson Airport complex of roofing in Tucson, Arizona.

The attached pictures show the beginning with the centre roof coated and the remaining roofing sections.

There are also additional buildings off site that are scheduled to be coating also.

The roofing is “cap sheet” which is tar paper and this requires SUPER BASE (HS) at 9m² (100 sq.ft.) per gallon and then overcoated with SUPER THERM® at 9m² (100 sq.ft.) per gallon.

Other parts of the roofing is PVC or a plastic type material which is weathered but is in good condition and provides good adhesion to acceptSUPER THERM® easily at the 9m² (100 sq.ft.) per gallon.

Preparation was the use of “Simple Green” concentrate cleaner and power wash.

The roof was power washed to wet down, the simple green cleaner was sprayed over the roof and large hard bristled push brooms were used to clean the surface and then the power washer was used to rinse this all off before it dried. The power washer was working behind the push brooms to assure nothing dried before it could be washed off. When the roof surface dried, the SUPER BASE (HS) adhered very strong and tight to the surface.

The post Tuscon Airport Airconditioning Savings appeared first on SPI Coatings.

These are the summary comments from the City of Adelaide and their Cool Roof Pilot. Prepared by University of Adelaide, School of Architecture and Civil Engineering. The report is still to be released; however the very positive summary; particularly as this was a mild summer, was still excellent. This will ensure long term performance and both energy and carbon savings.

Observations from the City of Adelaide:

“The results are certainly encouraging and shows the effectiveness of the coating product in reducing the exterior surface temperature as well as the interior temperature of the building”. Park Lands & Sustainability, City of Adelaide

The results are outstanding. No other coatings has demonstrated such outstanding performance and show the effectiveness of the Super Therm® product in reducing the exterior surface temp as well as the interior temperature the building. 

Built Urban Materials Absorb Heat

Bitumen roads and building materials collectively absorb and store the sun’s solar heat that contributes to excessive heat in our cities like Adelaide and dense urban areas which is known as the urban heat island effect. 

These heat islands are significantly hotter than temperatures in surrounding suburbs and rural areas and impacts the well being of communities as well as increasing air conditioning demands which increases carbon emissions and costs. 

The number of extreme heat days are predicted to increase and exacerbate the urban heat island effect, the City of Adelaide is working to better understand the environmental impacts and reduce heat islands.

In 2019/2020, the Council undertook a Cool Road Adelaide trial with other stakeholders in which a treated road was monitored to see how specialised coatings reduced surface and ambient air temperatures in the city.

Like bitumen roads, normal roof materials heat up significantly by absorbing the sun’s solar heat. The darker the roof, the hotter it gets. Ultimately this heat increases air-conditioning demands, carbon emissions and energy costs.

In April 2022 the City of Adelaide engaged NEOtech Coatings our Australian Distributor to apply Super Therm® Ceramic Cool Coating as part of their Cool Roof trial on two buildings in the southern Adelaide parklands.

As an example, a netball clubrooms had a dark, Deep Ocean Colorbond® roof. On a 25°C day the external roof temperature was 53°C. The other building had a lighter Surfmist® roof and recorded 45°C. The heat loads into the metal roof and transfers into the building, pushing up the need for air conditioning.

The roofs were pressure cleaned and repaired in a day and the Super Therm application was applied the next day.

After application with Super Therm® on a 27° day, the netball clubrooms roof was a very cool 23°C compared with previous high of 53°C on the uncoated roof. This 225% improvement means it was much cooler inside the building as there was a tiny amount of heat loading into the roof space and traditional insulation.

The Adelaide University is independently researching data as part of the cool roof trial. Based on urban heat mapping and testing sensors before and after application, they are collecting data both on the roof and inside with a final report post summer 2022/23.

Super Therm® was developed with NASA over 6 years. It also prevents:

• Roof thermal shock and Extends roof life
• Fire rated as Class “A” by NASA
• Reduces CO2 emissions towards Net Zero
• Inhibits mould and mildew
• Proven energy reduction
• Less visual impact because it’s not shiny white to block the heat load
• Reduces condensation…and more

The City of Adelaide’s investment will last well over 20 years against the rising threat of heatwaves, blackouts and increased sustained heat events. They will also be able to make future decisions with local verified data in relation to adapting buildings in Adelaide for climate change.

While cities globally manage growing heat threats, Super Therm® is used around the world to solve heat challenges and the City of Adelaide are future proofing to protect their important assets and the community’s well being.

MEDIA

Cool roofs and how to get them:
City of Adelaide Council trials a space-age ceramic coating as temperatures skyrocket
The Fifth Estate, 17 May 2022

The post City of Adelaide Cool Roof Trial 2022-2023 appeared first on SPI Coatings.

In El Salvador, Super Therm® is now known as “pintura mágica”. (Magic Paint). There are approximately 250 containers in a local housing project.

The project is a modular built accommodation using used shipping containers. With urgent need for accommodation, containers allowed the rapid deployment of a new facility, and a relatively low cost, and would actually create great quality to what is currently available in standard constructed buildings.

They can build and deploy these just about anywhere in the country with the use of a well water, solar power lighting and other technologies to make them infrastructure independent. 

Enter Super Therm®. The distributor coated a container with Super Therm® and added also an attic ventilation fan to keep air circulating inside. 

There was no need to coat inside the unit since the primary element is sun’s radiation and high outside ambient temperatures. On the day of the presentation, a thermometer places outside the container, on the container wall, in the sun, registered 51°C (125°F) while inside the container the temperature remained at shaded ambient of 30°C (87°F). It truly amazed all who experienced it!

The temperature was reduced from 48°C to 30°C inside the container on a 51°C day.

The picture shows the local Minister noting the difference between the temperature on the surface of the painted logo, and the surface of the Super Therm®; of which there was a marked and noticeable difference. They had a standard non-coated container on site as well, and it was so hot you could not even hold your hand on the surface and inside temperatures ranged into the 48°C (120°F) range. 

After one day of applying Super Therm® it worked well. They took the temperature at 10:50am to a side panel and roof container with and without Super Therm® and look the difference. The temperature was where the sun was hitting the container.

The calculation showed that it will take about 11 gallons (41 litres) to complete the 40 foot container (2) sides, roof and nose. I ordered the extra 10 gallons realising for a first application we might go over that amount due to learning curve issues and the fact that we’re dealing with corrugated side vs flat panels. In the actual design of the complex, we’d only be painting the roof, the nose, and only container sides which are exposed to sunlight. Containers surfaces adjacent would not be painted as they would see no radiant heat. 

The critical issues to ensure we get the expected radiant heat shielding is: 

• That the paint be mixed thoroughly before we spray to ensure the ceramics go properly into solution. 

• That we have removed the filters from both the machine and gun prior to spraying to prevent the ceramics from being filtered out of the paint. 

• That for vertical surfaces we apply the paint in 2 coats in a cross hatch pattern. (1) coat approx .008″ (8 mil) wet side to side, then let cure, followed by a second coat up and down for another .008″ (8 mil) wet. The horizontal roof coat can be applied in a single .016″ (16mil) wet application. 

A good anecdote to this story was that on the day we did this demonstration, we were asked to go into the administration building for a meeting. The container in full sun was only 30°C (87°F). In the conference room in a cement building the temperature was 29°C (95°F). They wanted to know if we’d paint their building for them! 

If the project goes forward, we’re looking at painting between 400-600 containers.

NOTE: Laboratory and Field project results as stated here may vary according to different climate conditions.

The post Super Therm reduces heat on containers in El Salvador appeared first on SPI Coatings.

Read the article – pdf

Author: Kristen Rindfleisch – Airport Improvement
Published: October, 2023

Harry Reid International (LAS) in Las Vegas regularly sees temperatures of more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37°C) throughout the summer, requiring significant energy to cool its passenger boarding bridges. The Clark County Department of Aviation, which operates LAS, has opted to have a reflective ceramic coating applied to bridge exteriors to help keep the interiors more comfortable for passengers. The strategy will also save energy and prolong the life of the airport’s preconditioned air units, as well as the jet bridges themselves.

When temperatures at the southwest desert airport soar, the external surface temperature of its metal boarding bridges can exceed 200 degrees Fahrenheit (93°C), and most of that heat radiates into the boarding bridges. “We wanted not only more efficient preconditioned air units, which we’re looking into, but it was really more about how we could reduce the cooling curve, if you will, to get that temperature down to better ambient temperatures,” says Doug McMahan, managing director for Facilities and Maintenance with the Clark County Department of Aviation. “So, we wanted to look at something innovative.”

Facts & Figures

Project: Solar Heat-Resistant Coating for Boarding Bridges

Location: Harry Reid Int’l Airport in Las Vegas

Scope: About 100 jet bridges

Status: 70 have been coated since 2017; remaining 44 will be treated as they come due for electronic refurbishment in next 2 years

Cost Per Bridge: Similar to standard paint

Product: Super Therm^®, by SPI Coatings

Application Contractor: Southwest Specialty Coatings Inc., sister company of Cor-Ray Painting

Timeline: Application takes 7–10 days per bridge; coating is applied when bridge is taken out of service for electronic refurbishments

Key Benefits: Reduces cooling time & energy consumption; improves passenger comfort; reduces wear & tear on preconditioned air units; extends life of jet bridges

Associated SPI Coatings Products: Enamo Grip topcoat for sides of bridges; Enamo Grip 5000 topcoat for rotating rotunda segments; Rust Grip^® corrosion protection for components showing signs of rust

Testing and Results

McMahan found just that through a construction management consultant who was discussing a coating product (Super Therm^®) while working with other local public entities.

Aviation Department personnel began general testing of Super Therm^®, a reflective ceramic coating manufactured by SPI Coatings, in 2017. For reference, the company offers two kinds of ceramic coatings generally applicable to jet bridges: HPC^® Coating, which is a thick-film, insulating coating applied on the inside to block conductive heat transfer; and Super Therm^®, a thin-film, reflective coating usually applied on the exterior to insulation and repel most of the solar radiation heat.

SPI Coatings Vice President of Business Development and Technology Timothy Cappel explains that Super Therm^® does not absorb heat from the sun. “That’s the benefit,” he remarks. “If it doesn’t absorb the heat, then there is no heat transfer to the inside of the passenger walkways.” 

In 2018, LAS began testing the ceramic coating on passenger boarding bridges that face southwest, because they receive the most radiant heat. Typically, a preconditioned air unit starts cooling the jet bridge 20 to 30 minutes before a flight arrives. It does so by taking hot outside air and chilling it with air between 28 and 34 degrees Fahrenheit. After the aircraft parks at the gate, it is connected with exterior hoses, and the cooling system is switched from bridge mode to aircraft mode so the aircraft can turn off its auxiliary power unit and stop burning fuel to cool the air on board.

NOTE: Laboratory and Field project results as stated here may vary according to different climate conditions.

To test the performance of Super Therm^®, the project team recorded temperatures inside the bridges before starting the preconditioned air units, and also measured the time needed to cool them. McMahan reports that coated bridges were cooler to begin with—staying with a few degrees of ambient temperatures even as the day warmed up—and also cooled down faster. “The bridge was able to maintain a lower setpoint when we switched over to the aircraft mode,” he adds.

Phased Implementation

After extensive testing for the better part of two years, the Clark County Department of Aviation decided to incorporate Super Therm^® into the ongoing refurbishment of all JBT AeroTech boarding bridges at LAS. The coating manufacturer recruited Southwest Specialty Coatings for installation. And in 2019, the contractor began applying Super Therm^® to jet bridges as they were pulled from service to receive updated electronic components and controls.

“We try to take advantage of when those bridges are going to be closed anyways,” McMahan explains.

So far, crews have coated approximately 70 jet bridges; the remaining 44 will be coated over the next two years as they come due for other refurbishment.

McMahan notes that the cost is about the same as repainting bridges with a standard paint product. “It’s obviously well worth that for the benefits we derive,” he says.

The reflective ceramic coating helps drop the interior temperature of the jet bridges to within three or four degrees of the ambient air temperature, but that is still quite hot many days. “Usually on the inside of a metal shell like that, it can climb up to 130 or 140 degrees easily,” says David Mullin, Director of Operations at Southwest Specialty Coatings.

In general, travelers are unlikely to notice the temperature on a jet bridge unless it’s extremely hot or cold. If passengers at LAS don’t notice extreme heat, that indicates the coating is doing its job. “Even though they may be walking through and not even realize it, it’s more comfortable,” Mullin notes.

Application Process

Crews apply Super Therm^® onto the roof and exterior sides of the jet bridges and also onto the rotating rotunda segments. Enamo Grip, another product from SPI Coatings, is applied on the sides of the bridges as a topcoat, but the roofs do not need it, Cappel advises. Enamo Grip 5000 is used as a topcoat on the rotunda segments for added protection against the additional movement and wear. Rust Grip^®, a corrosion protection coating from SPI Coatings, is applied to any rails or other components showing signs of rust.

Applying Super Therm^® isn’t as simple as spraying on a fresh coat of paint, McMahan notes. The physical composition and viscosity of the material are unique, requiring special equipment and techniques. Contractors consequently need to be trained and certified by SPI Coatings to ensure quality and guarantee integrity of the product throughout its 10-year general product limited warranty. “SPI Coatings was definitely the firm that just knocked it out of the park for us,” McMahan remarks. “Their quality was phenomenal, and they stand behind their product.”

Naturally, coordination has been crucial during the phased applications at LAS. “We have to communicate well, so the [boarding bridge] is down for as minimal time as possible,” says Leavitt. “It’s really just sequencing—making sure we schedule things correctly with the intricacies of getting in and out of the airport property.”

Each boarding bridge takes about seven to 10 days to coat, and work is completed onsite at LAS. The only preparation for airport personnel is extending the bridge to its full length so technicians can work on the entire structure. Crews from Southwest Specialty Coatings set up a barrier to protect the area around the jet bridge as they work. There is virtually no impact on travelers or airport operations.

Barring extreme weather conditions or bonding problems during application, Super Therm^® can last 25 to 30 years before it may need to be reapplied, says Cappel. When that time comes, a new layer can be applied directly over the previous coating.

Efficiencies and Benefits

Because it takes less time to cool coated bridges, the airport’s preconditioned air units will consume less energy and presumably last longer because they are running for shorter periods of time. Moreover, the ceramic coating is expected to extend the life of the bridges because it is thicker than regular paint, eliminates expansion and contraction of the metal structure and provides a buffer to everyday wear and corrosion.

The coating also benefits maintenance staff and technicians working on the exterior of the jet bridges. “The ones with the coating stay about one to three degrees from what the exterior ambient temperature is outside,” McMahan reports. “That is phenomenal.”

Previously, maintenance and repairs on boarding bridges had to be performed at night, because the structures were simply too hot to touch. Now, technicians can work on the coated jet bridges during the day. “They basically can lay on the surface with their bare skin and never be uncomfortable or burn themselves,” Cappel remarks.

As other infrastructure projects arise at LAS, Clark County Department of Aviation will consider testing and using Super Therm^®, perhaps on buildings or rooftop air-conditioning units. Other southwest U.S. airports, including Tucson International, use Super Therm® on roofs and storage facilities.   

McMahan sees even wider potential, noting that airports in rainy regions could benefit from the product’s rust protection qualities, and SPI Coatings’ interior product could help increase insulation values for jet bridges at cold weather airports. “If you were doing a refurb, getting down to the bare metal, it might be worth looking at,” McMahan suggests.

Read the article – pdf

Read the Airport Imprvements article

Other Aviation Heat Management Projects

The post Harry Reid International Airport – Las Vegas appeared first on SPI Coatings.

Solution: Super Therm® (water based reflective ceramic coating), manufactured by Superior Products International, (USA), was applied directly on the roof @ 250 micron DFT. 

Results: Surface temperature before application 52°C and after 40.2°C. Difference of 12°C (September 29th, 2012).

Case Study PDF

The post Address Dubai Marina Hotel, UAE – Super Therm® appeared first on SPI Coatings.