LEED Certification for paints/coatings
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification is the world's most widely used green building rating system, evaluating construction, interiors, exteriors, operations, and maintenance of different types of buildings.
In water-based paint formulations, such as Pirta paint, VOCs have played a key role in ensuring paint durability and performance. These come in coalescent solvents such as ethylene and propylene glycol that attach to the acrylic particles to form a cohesive film, providing flexibility, strength, and a uniform smooth finish when applied. However, until recently, omitting VOCs from a formulation would lead to rapid drying upon application, causing the paint to crack and even disintegrate into dust before it reaches the surface or substrate, compromising the paint's ability to adhere properly and resulting in a flawed product. Through careful research, experimentation, and collaborative efforts with like-minded suppliers of raw materials, Pirta’s R&D team has succeeded in replacing conventional coalescents entirely with non-toxic alternatives.
A third LEED category to highlight is the one on “Heat Island Reduction'', which promotes the widespread use of high-reflectance roof paints and defines minimum application thresholds for key parameters such as the Solar Reflectivity Index (SRI) —an indicator of the ability of a roof surface to return solar energy to the atmosphere that combines solar reflectance (SR) and thermal emittance (TE) into one number— in different slopes and roof types. While SRI values for most materials fall between 0 and 100, Pirta paint is proud of achieving an SRI of 117.6, translating into an impressive surface cooling effect of 5-7°C below ambient temperatures and 10°C below a white surface.
As we continue to push the boundaries of innovation, we remain steadfast in our commitment to ethical practices and environmental stewardship, ensuring that every product bearing the Pirta name not only complies with and is aligned with LEED standards, but also upholds the highest standards of quality, safety, and sustainability.
