Does the work disrupt day-to-day operations?

No. Everything is done from the outside. Your buildings stay open, and the work can be scheduled during school holidays.

Is a reflective coating worth it if my building has no air conditioning?

Yes. That is actually the most common case: the main payoff is summer comfort without putting in air conditioning.

Does the coating really cut my energy bill?

Yes, where there is air conditioning: by dropping the temperature under the roof, the coating eases the cooling load, so consumption falls.

How does the application work?

Your own contractor applies the coating from the outside of the roof. Covalba provides the technical specifications and supports your team or professional applicator.

Which types of roofs are compatible?

Steel deck, bitumen, membranes and concrete, including older roofs after a technical assessment.

How long does it keep working?

Covalba coatings hold their reflectivity for 8 to 10 years, far longer than low-cost alternatives.

Public buildings

A reflective roof coating for public buildings.

Keep your public buildings cool all summer with a passive solution that protects your budget.

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-8 to -10°C

under the roof

Passive solution

no air conditioning

Summer comfort

no extra energy use

Ils économisent déjà avec Covalba

Why act now

The heat hits the most vulnerable.

Schools, gyms and public buildings are often barely air-conditioned, with large roofs that build up heat.

Vulnerable occupants

Children, older people and athletes cope poorly with heat peaks.

Buildings unbearable in summer

Gyms, halls and schools may have to limit or suspend their activities.

Energy budget under pressure

Air-conditioning everywhere is expensive, when finances are already stretched.

Rising air-conditioning bills

The hotter the roof gets, the harder the existing cooling systems work.

All these problems share a common cause: a roof that absorbs heat instead of reflecting it back.

The Covalba solution

Your roof reflects instead of heating up.

Air-conditioning a school or a gym usually costs a lot. The reflective coating stops the heat at the source, with no energy use.

Conventional roof — up to 80°C at the surface

Dark surface
Absorbs heat
Strains air conditioning

Reflective roof — up to 90% of radiation reflected

Light-colored surface
Stays cooler
Reduces the thermal load

Passive: no energy use
Applied from the outside, while the building stays open
Compatible with steel deck, bitumen and membrane
Durable: 8 to 10 years of performance

For a public building, this coating fits naturally into a strategy of cost control and summer comfort.

Durability

A public investment is judged over the long term.

On a large public roof, redoing the work too soon costs more than choosing a durable system from the start.

	Standard acrylic coating	Covalba polyurethane system
	Low cost to apply	Built to last for public buildings
Price per m²	~€10	€18-20
Service life	2-5 years	8-10 years
Over 10 years	€25-30	€18-20
	Reflectivity drops quickly	Durable polyurethane resin
	Chalking and yellowing	Anti-UV finishing varnish
	More frequent reapplication	Reflectivity retained longer

Standard acrylic coatingLow cost to apply

Covalba polyurethane systemBuilt to last for public buildings

Price per m²

Standard acrylic coating~€10

Covalba polyurethane system€18-20

Service life

Standard acrylic coating2-5 years

Covalba polyurethane system8-10 years

Over 10 years

Standard acrylic coating€25-30

Covalba polyurethane system€18-20

Standard acrylic coatingReflectivity drops quickly

Covalba polyurethane systemDurable polyurethane resin

Standard acrylic coatingChalking and yellowing

Covalba polyurethane systemAnti-UV finishing varnish

Standard acrylic coatingMore frequent reapplication

Covalba polyurethane systemReflectivity retained longer

Covalba polyurethane coatings and finish topcoats are designed to preserve reflectivity and protect the existing waterproofing.

Asset value

A reflective roof coating: a budget you can plan and stronger asset value.

For a public building, summer heat is about protecting occupants and looking after the buildings in your charge. A reflective coating handles both without heavy works.

-20% — on air conditioning, where fitted
8-10 years — of performance
-8 to -10°C — under the roof
+Value — enhanced asset value

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A passive, visible action that adds value to your building assets while protecting the existing waterproofing from UV and heat.

Measurable benefits

Cooler buildings, protected occupants, a budget you can plan.

The reflective coating improves summer comfort without putting air conditioning everywhere.

-8 to -10°C

under your roof

From the first summer

Protected occupants

Students, residents, athletes and staff enjoy a more bearable environment.

Buildings usable in summer

Halls, schools and gyms stay more usable during hot periods.

Lower energy costs

Less cooling needed where air conditioning already exists.

Protected roof

The coating protects the waterproofing from UV and heat.

Enhanced asset value

A passive, visible action that adds value to your building assets.

Each type of building has its own challenges.

Your buildings

A solution for every public building.

Schools, gyms, healthcare residences and administrative buildings do not have the same usage constraints.

Schools and nurseries

Application possible during school holidays.

Gyms

Large non-air-conditioned volumes that overheat quickly.

Residences and healthcare

Populations highly vulnerable to heat peaks.

Administrative and cultural buildings

Better comfort for staff and the public.

Depots and workshops

Large exposed roofs on technical buildings.

The next step is fitting the work around how your buildings are used.

The process

4 steps. Building stays open.

Your buildings stay open, with work scheduled during off-peak periods where helpful.

Voir la vidéo

Étape 01

Study and assessment

We analyze the roof and size the coating system to fit it.

Étape 02

Preparation

The surface is cleaned and the area secured.

Étape 03

Secure application

Spray application from the outside, while the building stays open.

Étape 04

Inspection and follow-up

Final inspection and long-term support.

Average duration: 2 to 5 days · Can be scheduled during school holidays

Concrete results

Measured results in the field.

Real-world figures and public reference projects offer proof between peers.

-7.5°C

in surface temperature

3 to 6°C

of indoor cooling

-20%

on air conditioning, where fitted

Case studies to help you plan.

Industrie

Usine d'embouteillage (confidentiel), France

Installation du revêtement réflectif CovaSeal 20 sur l'étanchéité bitumineuse.

ERP

Station E.Leclerc - Aire de Frontonnais Sud 31, France

Installation de la peinture réflective CovaTherm 8 sur l'étanchéité bitumineuse.

Distribution

E.Leclerc - Ifs 14, France

Installation du revêtement CovaSeal sur l'étanchéité bitumineuse.

Distribution

E.Leclerc - Vitrolles 13, France

Installation du revêtement réflectif CovaSeal 20 sur l'étanchéité bitumineuse.

Industrie

Les laboratoires Servier Industrie - Gidy 45, France

Installation de la peinture réflective CovaTherm SRI=119 sur l'étanchéité bitumineuse.

Voir le cas

Collectivites

RATP - Aubervilliers 93, France

Installation de la peinture réflective CovaTherm SRI=119 sur l'étanchéité bitumineuse.

Logistique

Centre logistique froid (confidentiel), France

Installation de la peinture réflective CovaTherm SRI=119 sur l'étanchéité bitumineuse.

ERP

McDonald's - Angers 49, France

Installation de la peinture réflective CovaTherm SRI=119 sur l'étanchéité bitumineuse.

Industrie

Installation de la peinture réflective CovaTherm 118 sur l'étanchéité bitumineuse.

Industrie

Danone - Bailleul 59, France

LSDH - Saint-Denis-de-l'Hôtel 45, France

Installation de la peinture réflective CovaTherm SRI=119 sur l'étanchéité bitumineuse. Laquage solaire des voûtes éclairantes et lanterneaux.

Tertiaire

Cotral Lab - Condé en Normandie 14, France

Installation de la peinture réflective CovaTherm SRI=119 sur l'étanchéité bitumineuse

Laquage solaire des voûtes éclairantes.

Collectivites

Restos du coeur - Semoy 45, France

Installation de la peinture réflective CovaTherm 8 sur les toitures bac acier.

Ils économisent déjà avec Covalba

FAQ

Your questions, our answers.

The questions that come up most often among technical managers and public building managers.

Another question? Let's talk

Keep your occupants cool, for the long term.

Tell us about your building and discover its potential. Quote and sample available on request.

Request a quote Talk to an expert

Custom study within 48 hoursSample available on requestDedicated technical support

Tout comprendre sur le sujet.

Reflective roof coating for public buildings: summer comfort and a budget you can plan.

For a public building manager, summer heat is about protecting occupants and looking after the buildings in their charge.

Why public buildings overheat

Schools, gyms and administrative buildings often have large dark roofs over spaces that are rarely air-conditioned.

How a reflective roof works

A reflective roof bounces back the sun and sheds heat instead of storing it.

Protecting vulnerable occupants

Children, older people and athletes feel heat waves the hardest.

A low-energy solution

Once on, the reflective coating works with no energy and trims the bill where there is air conditioning.

A coating that lasts

Covalba polyurethane coatings last 8 to 10 years and protect the existing waterproofing.

Sources et références

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Heat Island Group.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Reflective Roofs.
Akbari H. et al., roof albedo studies.
Santamouris M., passive cooling.