Every one of us had to decide at least once in life, which color to choose for a new car.

4 THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN FACING THE DECISION:

1. Personal taste or corporate style;
2. Availability: we might need that car as soon as possible, therefore a Metallic Grey car may just be fine.
3. The degree of appeal on the second-hand market: normally a black car is easier to sell than a red one.
4. We may also consider that a lighter color is fresher in summer days than a dark one.

When we choose a color for the roof and facade of our building, we face a similar challenge.

Some colors, as Grey White 9002 or Metallic Silver 9006, are always available. Production and delivery of metal sandwich panel in those color is faster.

Also, a building made by insulated sandwich panel in Silver Metallic 9006 is easier to sell or rent.

THE EFFECT OF A COLOR OVER THE HEAT TRANSFER OF A METAL SANDWICH PANEL

I’ve added hereafter a chart that shows how colors heat up with sun light: you will be impressed by the difference of temperature that metal can reach if we choose a dark color.

Why am I saying that? Imagine that you want to build a refrigerated warehouse that works at a temperature of -20°C (-4°F), with an external temperature of +27°C (+80.6°F).

In this situation, if the external color of the metal insulated panel is Pure White 9010, the temperature of the metal sheet heated by the sunlight is +52°C (+125.6°F).

But if the external color is Anthracite Grey 7016, the temperature of the metal sheet heated by the sunlight will be +76°C (+168.9°F).

In the latter case, you would “waste” the insulation value of your sandwich panel by choosing a dark color, which increases the external temperature of 24°C (75.2°F).

To maintain the same internal temperature of -20°C (-4°F), the increased external temperature of the metal sheet has to be compensated by increasing the thickness of the insulation of metal sandwich panel.

Of course, this could be a good idea if the external temperature is low, as in Canada for example. If your building is located in a sunny country, this may overheat the metal sandwich panel.