When rating levels of reflectance, COLORSTEEL® uses two measurements: Total Solar Reflectance (TSR) and Light Reflectance Value (LRV). When looking at a colour sample, these two measurements will appear alongside the description, and they can be important to note.

TSR relates to the temperature an object will reach on a hot summer’s day, and measures the amount of solar energy reflected from that object. A high TSR rating will mean a structure does not absorb as much energy from the sun, which will in turn keep the building cooler in summer and could help to save on energy costs in the long run.

 

LRV measures the total amount of visible light reflected by a surface when illuminated by any light source, and runs on a scale of 0% (pitch black) to 100% (perfectly reflective white). A low LRV rating can help a building to sit more comfortably in its environment and with its neighbours, as it won’t reflect light so readily under the harsh New Zealand sun.

Local regulations sometimes require low levels of reflectance for safety reasons, such as if a building is constructed under a flight path. Others may have regulations for reduced LRV based on environmental aesthetic reasons, such as to help a building merge with the natural landscape. Some may also require high TSR ratings to help reduce heat build-up in areas with high density. These regulations will be available through your local council.

To make darker colours more usable even in warm climates, COLORSTEEL® has developed a range of pigments that reflect a larger proportion of the sun’s energy in the near-infrared region. This infrared (IR) reflectance technology enables a reduction in temperature for some of our popular dark tones such as Karaka and Ironsand, allowing them to be used in high TSR zones or in areas where temperatures reach high levels.

 

With this IR reflectance technology in place for your chosen roofing or cladding shade, provided the building is well insulated and solar gain is taken into account in the design, it should remain at a neutral temperature year-round. To learn more about the TSR and LRV values for specific COLORSTEEL® colours, check our colour range page which shows the percentages associated with each shade.

 

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