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Historic buildings are designed to last centuries. Unfortunately, many were never designed to stay comfortable.
Concrete heritage structures are a classic example. They are architecturally important, structurally robust and visually distinctive, but they often perform poorly when it comes to controlling temperature.
For architects and building owners responsible for these structures, solving the heat problem can be difficult. Traditional insulation solutions usually require wall cavities, roof space or internal lining systems. In heritage buildings, those options are often impossible.
Interior space is limited. External facades must remain untouched. And structural elements cannot easily be modified.
That leaves a common question.
How do you improve thermal performance without altering the building?
Concrete is an excellent structural material, but thermally it can behave like a storage heater.
When sunlight strikes the roof or walls, the surface absorbs solar radiation. That energy is then converted into heat and stored within the concrete mass. Over time the heat slowly migrates inward, raising interior temperatures.
The process continues long after the sun has moved.
Many heritage concrete buildings therefore suffer from:
Traditional insulation approaches focus on slowing heat transfer through thickness. But historic buildings rarely have the space required for thick insulation systems.
A more effective strategy is to control solar heat before it enters the structure.
Around 97% of the sun’s heat energy sits in the visible and infrared wavelengths. When surfaces absorb this radiation they heat rapidly and begin transferring that energy into the building.
Surface heat-blocking coatings work differently.
Instead of allowing the material to absorb solar energy, the coating reflects and dissipates heat at the surface. This reduces the amount of thermal energy entering the building envelope.
In simple terms, the heat never gets a chance to load the structure.
This approach becomes particularly valuable where architectural preservation is required.
Super Therm® is a multi-ceramic insulation coating designed to reduce solar heat load on exposed building surfaces. Once cured, the dry film thickness is approximately 0.25 mm.
That extremely thin profile means the coating can be applied directly to existing concrete, masonry or metal surfaces without altering architectural dimensions.
For heritage buildings this is critical. The structure remains visually unchanged while the thermal behaviour of the surface improves significantly.
The coating combines several material properties that contribute to what can be described as a heat blocking surface:
Instead of absorbing heat like bare concrete, the treated surface repels much of the solar energy before it penetrates the building.
Historic buildings often face other environmental challenges beyond heat.
Surface ceramic coatings can also contribute to broader building protection.
The ceramic matrix can reduce sound transmission through walls and roofs. Testing has shown reductions of up to 68% in sound transfer, which can improve comfort in older buildings located in busy urban areas. See Super Therm® Acoustic Testing >
Ceramic coatings are non-flammable and contribute to improved fire resistance on exposed building surfaces. For heritage properties where structural materials must remain unchanged, this adds an additional layer of protection. See Super Therm® fire testing >
By stabilising surface temperatures, the coating can help reduce condensation risk. Lower condensation levels reduce the conditions that allow mould and mildew to develop inside older buildings.
These secondary benefits can be particularly valuable where heritage buildings are converted into offices, apartments, galleries or public spaces. See Super Therm® Moisture and Mould testing >
Architects working on heritage structures often face a difficult compromise.
Improve thermal performance and risk changing the building, or preserve the architecture and accept poor comfort levels.
Surface heat control offers another option.
Because the coating thickness is measured in microns rather than centimetres, it allows thermal performance improvements without adding structural bulk or altering the architectural form.
For buildings where every millimetre matters, that difference is significant.
Historic buildings were never designed with modern thermal expectations in mind. Concrete structures in particular can absorb large amounts of solar heat and release it into the interior long after sunset.
When wall thickness cannot change and architectural features must remain untouched, controlling solar heat at the surface becomes one of the most practical solutions available.
Thin multi-ceramic coatings allow heritage buildings to maintain their character while improving comfort, reducing cooling demand and protecting the structure itself.
For many historic projects, that makes them an important part of modern building retrofit strategies.
Super Therm® Testing and Results – NEOtech Coatings
https://neotechcoatings.com/super-therm-testing-and-results/
Insulation and Thermal Performance in Buildings – YourHome (Australia)
https://www.yourhome.gov.au/passive-design/insulation
Thermal Mass and Building Performance – The Concrete Centre
https://www.concretecentre.com/Concrete-and-Sustainability/Thermal-mass.aspx
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