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Dubai buildings to pass paint test

DUBAI - Paints and coatings used in Dubai’s buildings will have to pass new tests that ensure they are safe for people’s health and comply with green building standards that reduce heat and energy consumption in buildings.

The Dubai Municipality introduced the tests at a new laboratory that opened recently at the Dubai Central Laboratory (DCL) that works under the civic body.

The advanced tests, done locally for the first time, will certify only those paints and coatings that are non-toxic and do not have heavy metal and volatile organic content that can cause serious health issues. Also, the new tests will ensure that the paints and coatings have the properties to reduce heat in buildings in compliance with the green building code developed by the Municipality.

As many as 500 million litres of paint is manufactured in the UAE by nearly 50 companies in the country, said Ali Ahmed Elian, who heads the Engineering Materials Laboratory Section at the DCL. “Almost 85 to 90 per cent of this is sold and used internally in the UAE. A large portion of this is used in government buildings which will be the first to implement the green building standards. All paints and coatings to be used in government buildings will immediately require the certificate from us,” he told Khaleej Times.

As per the government decision, the green building code is mandatory for public buildings in the first phase. The regulations will cover the rest of the buildings in the next phase that is likely to take two more years.

“For many years, we were not sure about the content of lead and other heavy metals in the paints used here. Now we are monitoring the heavy metal content for protecting the health and safety of people,” said Elian.

“Volatile organic content is the main thing that triggers asthma and respiratory systems. According to green building regulations, we need to prevent materials having this content,” he said.

The tests for solar reflectance index and light reflectance value for paints and coatings will ensure that they will not allow sun rays to permeate into buildings. “By, doing so they won’t allow heat inside, leaving the building to be cool. As a result, it reduces the energy consumed for air conditioners for cooling down the buildings. This, in turn, will help reduce the emission of carbon dioxide and minimise the carbon footprint,” said Elian.

The solar reflex index in the long run will also help reduce urban heat island in the emirate, the reduction of which is a major objective of an environment initiative of the municipality.

Director of Dubai Central Laboratory Hawa Abdulla Bastaki, who inaugurated the new testing facility for paints and coatings, said the testing and calibration are made as per international standard ISO-17025.

“… and it acts as a reference laboratory in co-ordination with Gulf, Co-Operation Council (GCC) and Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology (ESMA),” she said.

“DCL made efforts to develop specification and requirements for paints and coatings discussing with global institutions such as PRA in UK and TUV in Singapore, she added in a statement.

sajila@khaleejtimes.com