Kynar Aquatec® PVDF for Various Cool Roofing Applications
Projects with Cool Roof France
Since 2015, Cool Roof France has been implementing innovative solutions to sustainably cool buildings while reducing their environmental footprint.
Cool Roof France’s projects are grounded in a deep thermal expertise and rely on a high performing coating solution with a topcoat based on Kynar Aquatec® PVDF resin.
This advanced coating technology enhances long lasting surface reflectance and thus thermal performance, contributing to measurable reductions in urban heat gain and delivering improved environmental comfort for local residents.
We will explore how the Cool Roof France solution, of whose topcoat is formulated with Kynar Aquatec® PVDF resin, helps protect roofs from heat across three key applications:
- Data Center
- Retail
- Refrigerated storage
Kynar Aquatec® PVDF Coatings for Sustainability and Energy Savings
PVDF resins offer outstanding physical properties and extremely high UV resistance thanks to their fluorinated structure, ensuring long-term durability. PVDF-based top coatings maintain exceptional color and gloss even after extended outdoor exposure.
Kynar Aquatec® PVDF enables high performance, water-based coatings with excellent weatherability and sustained solar reflectance. These coatings can be applied to many substrates and cured at ambient conditions, either in the field or in factories. With lower VOC levels than solvent-borne systems, which results in overall VOC emissions dropping by 30-40% over the roof’s service life, as shown in a Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory study(1). On the top of that, it reduces recoating needs, which helps minimize the environmental impact over the lifetime of the substrate.
Kynar Aquatec® PVDF based coatings have low surface energy that minimizes dirt pick-up, helping surfaces stay brighter and more reflective for longer, which keeps roofs cooler. They also reduce cleaning frequency and inhibit mold and mildew growth.
Kynar Aquatec® PVDF based roof coatings typically last around 20 years, much longer than acrylics, helping the roofing substrate stay cooler and slowing any degradations, which extends the roof's service life and reduces the volume of roofing waste sent to landfills.
By using a Kynar Aquatec® PVDF topcoat, they also maintain exceptionally high long-term solar reflectance; keeping over 80% Total Solar Reflectance (TSR) after three years, far outperforming conventional roofing materials.
Commercial buildings can incur high Peak Demand charges during peak utility hours, and reflective white roofs commonly deliver a 20–30% reduction in these costly fees.
Lower energy use from improved cooling efficiency, combined with reduced roof cleanings and recoatings, significantly decreases the overall carbon footprint of a project.
Kynar Aquatec® PVDF based reflective coating can significantly lower roof surface temperatures by up to 28°C and reduce indoor temperatures enough to cut cooling costs by as much as 30%.
By keeping roof surfaces up to 28°C (-50°F) cooler, Kynar Aquatec® PVDF based reflective coatings reduce HVAC usage, improve rooftop unit efficiency, and extend equipment lifespan.
This cooling effect can also allow smaller, less expensive HVAC systems to be installed in new buildings.
Cool Roof coatings can often qualify as current-year tax-deductible expenses and may benefit from regional incentives or code requirements such as ASHRAE 90.1. They can also earn up to two LEED® v4 credits for heat-island reduction when using high-reflectance materials, with additional credits possible depending on design and performance criteria.
Three Projects in France across a variety of Market Applications
We showcase Cool Roof France solutions powered by Kynar Aquatec® PVDF through three standout projects: a data center, a major retail site, and a refrigerated storage facility.
DATA CENTER : SNCF SHELTERS
SNCF transformed the performance of its critical technical infrastructure by applying a cool roofing solution formulated with Kynar Aquatec® PVDF to a 250 M² (2700 sq.ft) rooftop.
A simple upgrade with game-changing impact for operational reliability.
Measurable Gains and Secured Operations
The temperature data collected on SNCF’s technical shelters demonstrates the strong thermal performance of the cool roofing solution applied in Ballan-Miré, France. SNCF was able to quantify substantial reductions in roof-top surface temperatures under comparable climatic conditions.
Significant Decrease in Roof Surface Temperature:
- -A maximum reduction of –27°C (-49°F) in surface temperature,
- -An average reduction of -16°C (-29°F) across the monitoring period.
These results highlight the coating’s high solar reflectance and emissivity, which considerably limit heat absorption on the roof. By keeping the roof surface cooler, the solution whose topcoat is formulated with Kynar Aquatec® PVDF effectively minimizes thermal loads transmitted to the interior of the shelter.
Such a reduction is critical for SNCF, whose technical shelters operate like small data centers and require strict temperature control to ensure the continuity of rail infrastructure operations.
Lower roof temperatures translate into:
- Reduced risk of overheating sensitive electronic equipment and stabilized indoor temperatures
- Less strain on cooling systems, contributing to energy efficiency
- Improved reliability and resilience during heatwaves
These results confirm the solution’s ability to secure thermal conditions in sensitive infrastructure and support SNCF’s operational reliability objectives.
RETAIL: E. LECLERC HYPERMARKET
In the summer season, the "E. Leclerc Hypermarket" in Anglet was battling a silent but costly enemy, an overheated roof.
Under the intense sun of the Pyrénées Atlantiques, the bitumen membrane routinely climbed above 68°C (154°F), pushing the store’s cooling systems to their limits and driving energy bills upward.
Every heatwave meant extra strain, extra consumption, and extra pressure to maintain a comfortable environment for customers and staff.
Seeking a durable, energy efficient solution, the hypermarket turned to Cool Roof France.
Over several months, from September to December, Cool Roof France team applied a thermoreflective coating of which topcoat based on Kynar Aquatec® PVDF across 5,030 M² (54,000 sq. ft) of rooftop, transforming a heat trapping surface into a powerful shield against solar radiation.
The results speak for themselves:
- 23°C (-41°F) in surface temperature
- 27% electricity uses for air‑conditioning
A simple rooftop upgrade turned into a major step toward comfort, performance, and long‑term energy savings.
REFRIGERATED STORAGE: LE FLAHEC COLD STORAGE WAREHOUSES
By applying cool roofing solution with Kynar Aquatec® PVDF to 650 M² (7,000 sq. ft) of rooftop, Le Flahec’s refrigerated warehouses in Yffiniac, France reduced surface temperatures by over 21°C (38°F), effectively limiting summer overheating and easing the load on cooling systems.
The site previously faced chronic rooftop heat, with temperatures exceeding 48°C (118°F), driving up A/C consumption and impacting indoor comfort.
In July, Cool Roof France treated the bitumen membrane with its thermoreflective coating, followed by rigorous performance monitoring.
A significant thermal improvement was observed within the first weeks, with a 21.2°C (38°F) reduction in roof surface temperature.
Cool Roof France chose to keep an untreated area next to the section coated with its thermoreflective coating system, of which topcoat is based on Kynar Aquatec® PVDF based solution. The comparison between the two areas shows a maximum reduction of 21.2°C (38°F) and an average drop of 13.3°C (24°F).
The coated surface peaks at just 27.3°C (49°F), versus 48.5°C (87°F) on the uncoated zone.
Consistent performance throughout the monitoring period
From July 18 to August 3, recorded temperature curves confirm a stable and continuous reduction in roof temperatures, regardless of variations in outdoor weather conditions.
These results demonstrate the strong and consistent thermal performance of the cool roofing solution, keeping roof temperatures significantly lower even under fluctuating outdoor conditions.
The results point to one powerful conclusion
Overall, the case studies clearly demonstrate the strong and consistent thermal performance delivered by Cool Roof France’s solutions whose topcoat is formulated with Kynar Aquatec® PVDF, securing the high durability of the whole system.
Across diverse applications from data centers to retail to cold storage facilities, the coatings achieved substantial surface temperature reductions of up to 28°C (50°F), leading to improved energy efficiency and operational reliability.
These cool roofing systems offer measurable economic and environmental benefits and can be installed without interrupting operations.