Web特集
August 5, 2009
Series: Focus on Paint Market in Japan
Features of thermal barrier coating in 2009 Is it acknowledged as environmental technology? The proving assessment should be needed.
Current TBC market including high-reflectivity coating and OEM volume is estimated over 5,000 tons/yr. Members of JPMA (Japan Paint Manufacturers Association) reported 1,549 tons (by 13 producers) in 2004, 2,414 tons (by 13 producers) in 2005, 3,012 tons (by 14 producers) in 2006 and 3,799 tons (by 17 producers) in 2007 was sold. Its growth means the increase of number of producers. Total market is estimated over 5,000 tons, 5.5-5.6 Bio Yen if the volume of nonmembers of the association (producers) is added.
Regarding the growth rate against last year, JPMA showed +55.8% in 2005, +28.5% in 2006, +21.5% in 2007. The growth has been slowing. JPMA forecast the market of high-reflectivity coating will reach from 7,000 - 10,000 T five years later. It seems this market goes to the spread stage from the introduction stage.
However, the approach of paint producers to TBC market looks very cautious although the market is positively growing. More than 40 companies are entering into the market, therefore, that competition weakens each player's growth. In roof coating market, high-reflectivity coating is being positively applied as added-value paint, but that does not expand market demand. It means TBC is mainly used to replace existing product. In addition, many paint producers aggressively promoting, so it makes severe competition and finally affects the profitability of each player.
The feedback on TBC applied in years past is being reported in the market now. Contamination resistance, durability and color degradation of coating are in question. Government and paint association achieve the performance assessment on TBC and study the correlation between performance and effect in order to foster "healthy" market.
Most of paint producers develop water-borne paint for roof coating and newly launch it into waterproof, external, paving application. Roof and external wall application is replacement market but road and light pavement would be new market.
For road application, trial and experimental construction were achieved with road constructors and the data was measured. Some disadvantages such as "risk to make more complaint by more reflection on road" and "risk of the light ingression via the reflection of buildings" are noted and water-retention pavement is introduced as environmental technology. Therefore, there is few result. Pump priming measures is expected, it is not clearly predicted how much money will be paid for the demand creation because of financial issue. However, paint makers are eager to promote new products because they believe the demand for theme park, park, parking lot and pedestrian road would grow.
New application development on TBC is not only for pavement but also widely for poolside, racetrack in stadium, athletic ground made of rubber chip, freezer and plant.
Existence value of TBC
Degree of expectation on TBC and high-reflectivity coating makes an important contribution to the market growth.
As for energy-saving effect, the performance of high-reflectivity coating depends on used color and heat insulation material usage. That proves white color shows the best performance because of the highest solar reflectance index. It is hard to measure the effect for the construction that includes heat insulation material or dead-air space.
Environment ministry explains that it could be difficult to gain significant effect for the building with air-conditioning unit because of the existence of heat insulation material. Paint association did not study the performance assessment on TBC or insulation coating having air layer yet. Therefore, there is no other option but to study technical data measured by each producer. Job coaters for construction understand high-reflectivity coating is prior to general paint and total cost increase is acceptable (200-300 Yen/kg). They don't need proved performance, actually approve it as standard specification. The market is moving without common assessment of the performance.
Used colors have basic influence on thermal barrier property. Higher brightness leads higher solar reflectance index. Although difference between generic white and thermal barrier white should be discussed, deep colors such as brown, navy and dark green are usually used for house roof coating. It is very few to apply white color. That is same as pavement use, so high-reflectivity coating based on deep colors can show its presence to meet color requirement of constructors.
It is difficult to offer clear energy-saving effect for the construction including heat insulation material. The effect to prevent heat-island phenomenon is confirmed in the city in terms of preventing from heat accumulation at night. However, the effect depends on each regional environment and climate, so the promotion throughout the country is not expected.
On the other hand, new performance to prevent thermal degradation and heat shrink of metal is found. The result of long-term exposure is needed for further investigation. If it decreases thermal degradation of materials by reflecting the sunlight and improve the durability of construction materials such as concrete and siding board, it could be acknowledged as new added value. In terms of preventing the heat shrink, it is actually applied to the retractable-roof stadium. These market expansion are expected.
Environment ministry achieves proving test
What is needed to make TBC market be healthy? Environment ministry started from 2003 proving test for 6 nominated technologies on a commission basis. The nominated technologies are for small-scaled treatment of organic effluent, clarification of lake water, the toilet in mountain, VOC treatment and heat island measures (reduction of air-conditioning load by coating of construction). Heat island measures started from 2006 and over 70 applications are already accepted. The number is much larger than others.
Reflective film for windows is listed, from 2008 high-reflectivity coating is newly nominated. A working group already reported the result of proving test.
The booklet covering product data plan to be published in May 2009. According to the proving test, even if each product shows same brightness, solar reflectance index is different. The test was made by white, gray and black color. The maximum gap of the index was 25% in white, 15% in gray and 25% in black. This difference caused by kind of pigment and formulating technology. The strategy of each producer on market development is reflected on the balance between the performance and the cost.
Environment ministry do not intend to judge the advantage through the comparison but to provide constructors easy assessment. However, each solar reflectance index and long-term exposure result are disclosed, in addition, the reduction effect of air-conditioning load is simulated. Users can compare each product. Applicants will get a right of "logo" to prove environmental technology if they pass these test. That seal could be a good promotion tool.
JIS registration of the product is started
Last year, JIS test method for solar reflectance index of high-reflectivity coating was established. That allowed a comparison of the index through common standard.
In order to secure the market expansion based on the introduction of right product it is needed to gain the qualification of paint product. Now, JIS registration of the product is in progress. The committee to make a draft will be built this August. The discussion among paint producers, constructors, academic experts and inspection agency to make a reference has been started. Initial progress focused on the standard as the paint technology but METI (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) required to aim at the standard as the paint product. Currently the standard as roof coating is under discussion.
The definition of high-reflectivity coating is key discussion point. The Tokyo metropolitan government define the coating needs more than 50% of solar reflectance index in N6 (gray color) as standardized structure for cool-roof, however, the original committee plan to make a standard in the range of infrared part. It is good to focus on natural performance of the product because of non-visible light range, however, infrared light have an influence on visible light region and finally the results varied considerably from color to color. Particularly the maximum gap against white and black is 75%, so it is difficult to relate these data into single standard. Also, it is more difficult to qualify each color paint, therefore, JIS registration work of paint product looks very tough. Paints provide wide color variation, however, as a result, that makes rather difficult situation in the progress.
JPMA propose the solar reflectance index should be defined more than 40% or 50% in infrared part, but the definition of high-reflectivity coating based on the solar reflectance index act as a barrier against its standardization.
After initial committee kick off, it takes 2.5 or 3 years to complete JIS registration. In this case, 2012 could be the earliest year to establish. JPMA may announce original guideline, but for next 3 years, the competition in market is going without any standard of the performance.
Social value of the performance
Only application reduce cooling and heating load and contributes to measures to prevent global warming. As environmental technology required by the investment, TBC market is remarked. However, liquid form, color variation and essential spray quality makes a difficulty in providing the proving performance such as "easy understanding" and "visible effect". The paint performance have never been remarked like this, hence, it is main target in paint industry how to foster this market properly.
The quantitative assessment is based on the assumption to clarify the correlation between actual phenomena and experimental data. In other words, the effect unable to be proven is not quantified and not qualified. Human sensory or aesthetic information such as "I clearly feel a difference of temperature" is not sufficient assessment, therefore, it is difficult to quantify the performance, prove the assessment.
Now, the study of assessment based on the reflection property of solar reflective paint is going, it is not denied that approach face a barrier against real investigation of coating performance. Is it really desired in the market to define coating performance clearly? That would be negative for the development of paint producers? Fundamental questions are being asked.
If no assessment is made, it may allow defected products to be widespread in the market. In current market, sales promotion is already started, it is important to how to advertise a liquid paint and obtain a confidence in the market.
TBC is a good example as a pioneer that advertises the coating performance. Current study on proving assessment could make a trigger for future direction of paint industry.
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