Insulation

TPI’s coatings win Big 5 green awards

Al Ain University ... a key project supplied by TPI.

THREE products marketed in the region by the UAE-based Tiger Profiles and Insulation (TPI) emerged among the top winners in The Big 5 Gaia awards in Dubai last month.

The company’s Solasteel coating won the coveted gold metal while SolaCoat, a heat-reflective coating for metals, and a coating designed to take the wear and tear of pavements, each secured a silver medal.
The awards recognised the environment-friendliness as well as innovation of products that were promoted at The Big 5 show.
“Solasteel, the world’s first commercially available pre-coated water-based acrylic coating metal sheeting for roofs, walls and other applications was developed in the UAE through TPI’s partnership with CoolShield International, our Australian principal,” says Rosy Salameh, assistant executive director – marketing of TPI.
Solasteel offers significant advantages over currently existing pre-coated material, according to the company. “Solasteel helps provide more comfortable working conditions, lower cooling costs and subsequent greenhouse gas emissions,” says Salameh.
Citing some of its many competitive characteristics, she says: “This high heat-reduction coating provides much lower heat build-up in buildings. University tests show a solar reflectivity of 74.1 per cent. Hence, using Solasteel results in less or no insulation being required, and it has a longer gloss retention than existing pre-coated solvent-based polyester material.
“Solasteel is significantly competitive in that, being a water-based acrylic, it is more resilient to breakdown by ultraviolet rays and thus lowers energy costs. Also, it is a non-hazardous coating (low volatile organic compounds – VOCs), is competitively-priced, helps reduce environmental emissions during the coating process and has a 15-year and 30-year performance guarantee on surface coating and on the substrate, respectively. Solasteel delivers a longer lasting, safer, more reflective, heat reducing coating than any alternative coil product.”

SolaCoat
The SolaCoat glossy acrylic coating is a premium, high-opacity paint finish originally designed for moderating temperature extremes on exterior metal surfaces, says TPI, the regional distributor for the product in the Middle East, Asia and Africa.
“SolaCoat is a revolutionary, water-based paint that provides a radiant barrier insulation coating that reduces temperature,” says Salameh. “It is the most efficient and most cost-effective form of heat insulation commercially available today. The award-winning SolaCoat is a specially-created waterborne acrylic-based emulsion that complies with NATA and APAS standards. It is non-hazardous and has a unique membrane additive that rejects infra-red rays from the sun, preventing heat from permeating your residential or commercial buildings. It helps in building an eco-friendly environment.”
SolaCoat can be applied to a single skin panel to keep the heat out of areas that are not air-conditioned or, in a number of forms, to a polyurethane (PU) sandwich panel to provide maximum insulation from external heat, and the highest levels of solar reflectivity to maximise the cooling efficiency of air-conditioners in an insulated area. She
continues: “Certified by ecospecifier International, an internationally-recognised certification establishment, as per the Leeds rating system, the SolaCoat product line is proven to radiate up to 80 per cent of the infrared (heat) rays back into the environment. It is cost effective in that when applied at a thickness of 50 microns to any material, it reduces the internal temperature by up to 15 deg C. Solacoat diminishes greenhouse gas emissions and inhibits rust, corrosion and thermal expansion, ensuring durability. It provides better energy efficiency and reduces air-conditioning costs by up to 50 per cent while being non-toxic and environmentally safe and friendly with a 10-year performance guarantee.”
Meanwhile, the award-winning Solacoat pavement coating is a new technology, waterbased coating specifically designed to give a hard-wearing, non-slip and waterproof surface and with minimal heat-absorption characteristics to pedestrian walk areas, and broad-area pedestrian areas. When top-coated with Solacoat Clear sealer, the coating can be used in light vehicle traffic areas and parking lots as well as paved pool-sides.
“The coating is characterised by its excellent adhesion to correctly prepared substrates,” says Salameh. “Available in one-pack convenience, the rapid-drying water-based coating is environment-friendly, has excellent non-slip characteristics in wet or dry conditions, and may be used indoors or outdoors.”
The heat-reflective, non-slip waterproof pavement coatings are available in a range of selected natural stone-type colour finishes that have low heat absorption characteristics therefore lowering the surrounding temperature environments, she adds. “Solacoat is capable of catering to a range of needs and solar reflectivity requirements, and is guaranteed to perform under the hottest sunlight and the brightest rays. By winning the Gold and Silver awards, Solacoat and Solasteel have become further confirmed as certified green products that comply with the green laws of the UAE,” she adds.
TPI was established in 1994 as a member of the prestigious Tiger Group of Companies, which was founded in the UAE in 1968. It is a comprehensive source for all the construction industry’s roofing and cladding requirements, offering the design and supply of the cold-formed and insulated metal building components for roofs, walls, false ceilings and floor decks.
TPI manufactures, supplies and installs cladding materials, roof panels, wall panels, floor decking panels, standing seams, steel and aluminum-profiled sheeting, partitioning, composite sandwich panels, cold store panels, standing seam systems – T-Seam – cold-roll forming, fasteners, bolts, nuts and a range of cladding and profile materials, accessories and products. A one-stop shop for construction-related metal requirements, TPI aims at providing innovative technology, excellent performance and integrity, she says.
TPI says it manufactures some of the most efficient roof and wall profiles available on the international market today. Some of its roll-formed profiles include TR 45/150, TR 45/250, TR 47/180, TR 75/300 and TR 35/200. Offered in a variety of materials including aluminium, galvanised iron (GI) and Alu-Zinc, the profiles are provided in a range of thicknesses from 0.40 mm to 1.00 mm. A wide selection of colours and pre-painted (polyester), PVF2, PVC Plastisol finishes ensure that architects and designers are equipped with versatile solutions.
Besides being the preferred supplier of insulation and cladding materials in the UAE, TPI is also recognised as a major manufacturer in the region of PU panels with an annual production capacity of 2.5 million sq m.
According to Salameh, the latest addition to TPI’s product family is the PIR (polyisocyanurate), a B2 fire-rated insulation material that is more environment-friendly than the existing polyurethane. In addition, the company is currently putting the finishing touches to its high-capacity production line for mineral wool-insulated panels that aim to cater to the high demand in the region.
With the environment, quality and safety accorded high priority at the company, TPI has the relevant certifications to confirm its commitment. “TPI is committed to maintain the maximum levels of quality control procedures as well as the health and safety policies in line with three significant and internationally-recognised quality certificates: the 9001 quality management standards certificate, the 14001 environmental management standards and the Ohsas 18001 health and safety management standard. TPI is also an active member of the US Green Building Council (USGBC), and the Emirates Environmental Group,” she concludes.