Classification of COLORBOND® steel Colours for BCA
| Colour Classification in Accordance with the BCA |
| Colour Classification in Accordance with New South Wales BASIX |
Light coloured roofing material keeps cooler than darker coloured roofing material. The cooler temperature has many benefits including the ability to reduce the energy costs for cooling a building. In order to recognise the cooling benefit of lighter coloured roofing some building regulation has incorporated colour as an energy efficiency design parameter.
The Building Code of Australia (BCA) has classified roof colour on the basis of their solar absorptance, referred herein as very light, light and dark.
Table 1 - Colour Classification in Accordance with the BCA
Colour |
Solar Absorptance | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Classic Cream™ | 0.31 | VL |
| Surfmist® | 0.318 | VL |
| Paperbark® | 0.421 | L |
| Evening Haze® | 0.427 | L |
| Shale Grey™ | 0.433 | L |
| Sandbank® | 0.455 | L |
| Dune® | 0.466 | L |
| Windspray® | 0.584 | D |
| Pale Eucalypt® | 0.597 | D |
| Bushland® | 0.619 | D |
| Headland® | 0.632 | D |
| Wilderness® | 0.651 | D |
| Jasper® | 0.682 | D |
| Manor Red® | 0.688 | D |
| Woodland Grey® | 0.706 | D |
| Loft® | 0.711 | D |
| Monument® | 0.732 | D |
| Ironstone® | 0.743 | D |
| Cottage Green® | 0.746 | D |
| Deep Ocean® | 0.749 | D |
Key: VL-Very Light: L-Light: D-Dark
Note: These values do not relate to the COLORBOND® Ultra or Stainless steel ranges. Please note, these readings are for standard COLORBOND® colours incorporating Thermatech® technology.
Colour Classification in Accordance with the New South Wales Building and Sustainability Index (BASIX)
The New South Wales Building and Sustainability Index (BASIX) has also classified colour into light medium and dark on the basis of their solar absorptance. The light colours qualify for a deemed to comply insulation concession. Alternatively, choosing light and medium colours lower the assumed cooling of the building helping toward meeting the BASIX energy targets. The light, medium and dark categories are also to be used in verification software, such as NatHERS, if the verification path is used to meet the BASIX thermal comfort requirement. Table 2 contains the solar absorptance and BASIX Rating for standard COLORBOND® steel products.
Table 2 - Colour Classification in Accordance with New South Wales BASIX
Colour |
Solar Absorptance | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Classic Cream™ | 0.31 | L |
| Surfmist® | 0.318 | L |
| Paperbark® | 0.421 | L |
| Evening Haze® | 0.427 | L |
| Shale Grey™ | 0.433 | L |
| Sandbank® | 0.455 | L |
| Dune® | 0.466 | L |
| Windspray® | 0.584 | M |
| Pale Eucalypt® | 0.597 | M |
| Bushland® | 0.619 | M |
| Headland® | 0.632 | M |
| Wilderness® | 0.651 | M |
| Jasper® | 0.682 | M |
| Manor Red® | 0.688 | M |
| Woodland Grey® | 0.706 | D |
| Loft® | 0.711 | D |
| Monument® | 0.732 | D |
| Ironstone® | 0.743 | D |
| Cottage Green® | 0.746 | D |
| Deep Ocean® | 0.749 | D |
Key: L-Light: M-Medium: D-Dark
Note: These values do not relate to the COLORBOND® Ultra or Stainless steel ranges. Please note, these readings are for standard COLORBOND® colours incorporating Thermatech® technology.
For more information Download NSW Building & Sustainability Index (BASIX) (107 KB). This document contains information on the New South Wales Building and Sustainability Index (BASIX) for residential buildings. A BASIX Certificate is now required as part of the development approval process for all new residential buildings (including new multi-unit residential developments such as villas, townhouses and low-rise, mid-rise and high-rise developments) in New South Wales. From October 2006 alterations and additions requiring a development application will also require a BASIX Certificate.
