Heat-reflective 'cool roof' paint cuts summer power bills for vulnerable Seoul households

The Seoul Metropolitan Government said a cool roof paint pilot for vulnerable households in Seoul cut August electricity bills by up to 40 percent and lowered rooftop temperatures by more than 10 degrees Celsius. The program covered 152 buildings and directly benefited about 2,000 residents. The city plans to expand the effort next year after a Seoul ordinance amendment widened eligibility for energy-efficiency support.

The city completed coating work at 152 sites covering 31,204 square meters by early June.

The pilot directly benefited roughly 2,000 residents.

A demonstration test on Seoul Housing and Communities Corp. apartments found the coating reduced rooftop surface temperatures by as much as 9.2 degrees Celsius and indoor temperatures by about 1.8 degrees Celsius.

Published Sep 16, 2026 1:36 pm KST

Workers apply heat-reflective "cool roof" paint on a low-income household in Seoul. Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government

The Seoul Metropolitan Government said a pilot program applying heat-reflective "cool roof" paint to 152 buildings housing older adults, low-income families and other vulnerable residents produced clear results this summer, cutting August electricity bills by up to 40 percent compared with a year earlier and lowering rooftop surface temperatures by more than 10 degrees Celsius.

"I was worried about how we'd get through the summer heat, but after the cool roof coating, the house is a lot cooler, and my electricity bill dropped by 50,000 won ($36) compared with last summer. It even stopped the leaks," one resident said.

Another said the coating made the house "livable," adding that a leaking rooftop was also fixed and expressing hope the program would expand to reach more elderly residents and others in need.

The city launched the program in April by designating "cool roof priority districts" — aging, low-rise residential areas with poor insulation and limited access to home repairs, where vulnerable groups such as older adults, children, people with disabilities and low-income households live.

Cool roof paint, which reflects radiant heat when applied to rooftops or exterior walls, was found in a demonstration test on Seoul Housing & Communities Corp. apartments to lower rooftop surface temperatures by as much as 9.2 degrees Celsius and indoor temperatures by about 1.8 degrees Celsius.

By early June, the city had completed coating work at 152 sites covering 31,204 square meters, directly benefiting roughly 2,000 residents. Some buildings that also received waterproof coating alongside the cool roof paint saw long-standing roof leaks resolved.

The Seoul Metropolitan Council this month passed an amendment to the city's basic ordinance on carbon neutrality and green growth, expanding eligibility for such energy-efficiency support beyond vulnerable households on top floors to any building more than 10 years old.

Citing that change, the city said it plans to expand the program next year from coating individual buildings to covering entire priority districts, in an effort to ease the urban heat island effect. It will also work with the Seoul Institute to use heat-mapping data to designate new priority districts, including areas with cramped, low-cost housing, while continuing targeted support for vulnerable households outside those districts.

Recognizing that extreme heat hits vulnerable communities hardest, a city climate official said that next year’s application will wrap up before summer to ensure effective, timely relief for residents.

"As heat waves grow more severe, the burden falls that much heavier on climate-vulnerable communities," said Yoon Jae-sam, head of Seoul's Climate and Environment Headquarters.

"We will ensure the thermal paint project is run effectively — including completing construction before the heat hits again next year — to help alleviate the hardships of vulnerable residents as much as possible."

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.

首尔市政府表示，一项针对首尔弱势家庭的屋顶隔热涂料试点项目，使8月份的电费降低了高达40%，屋顶温度也降低了10摄氏度以上。该项目覆盖了152栋建筑，直接惠及约2000名居民。首尔市政府计划明年扩大该项目的覆盖范围，此前首尔市政府修订了相关条例，扩大了节能补贴的适用范围。

截至6月初，该市已完成152处地点的涂层工程，总面积达31204平方米。

该试点项目直接惠及约 2000 名居民。

首尔房屋社区公社公寓的示范测试发现，该涂层可将屋顶表面温度降低 9.2 摄氏度，室内温度降低约 1.8 摄氏度。

发布于2026年9月16日下午1:36（韩国标准时间）

工人们正在首尔一户低收入家庭的屋顶上涂抹隔热“冷屋顶”涂料。图片由首尔市政府提供。

首尔市政府表示，一项在152栋居住着老年人、低收入家庭和其他弱势居民的建筑物上应用隔热“冷屋顶”涂料的试点项目，在今年夏天取得了明显的成效，与去年同期相比，8月份的电费减少了40%，屋顶表面温度降低了10摄氏度以上。

一位居民说：“我之前很担心夏天怎么熬过去，但是屋顶涂了隔热涂料之后，房子凉快多了，电费也比去年夏天减少了5万韩元（约合36美元）。而且漏水的问题也解决了。”

另一位居民表示，涂层使房子“适宜居住”，并补充说，漏水的屋顶也得到了修复，他希望该计划能够扩大规模，惠及更多老年居民和其他有需要的人。

该市于 4 月启动了该计划，指定了“凉爽屋顶优先区”——老旧的低层住宅区，隔热性能差，房屋维修机会有限，老年人、儿童、残疾人和低收入家庭等弱势群体居住于此。

在首尔住房社区公社的公寓进行的示范测试中发现，涂在屋顶或外墙上的隔热涂料可以反射辐射热，使屋顶表面温度降低多达 9.2 摄氏度，室内温度降低约 1.8 摄氏度。

截至6月初，该市已完成152处地点的涂层施工，总面积达31204平方米，直接惠及约2000名居民。一些同时涂刷了防水涂层和隔热涂料的建筑，长期存在的屋顶漏水问题也得到了解决。

首尔市议会本月通过了对该市碳中和与绿色增长基本条例的修正案，将节能支持的范围从顶层的弱势家庭扩大到任何超过 10 年楼龄的建筑物。

鉴于这一变化，首尔市政府表示计划明年将该项目从单个建筑物的涂层覆盖范围扩大到整个重点区域，以缓解城市热岛效应。市政府还将与首尔研究院合作，利用热力图数据划定新的重点区域，包括那些住房拥挤、价格低廉的区域，同时继续为这些区域以外的弱势家庭提供有针对性的支持。

鉴于极端高温对弱势群体的影响最为严重，一位城市气候官员表示，明年的申请工作将在夏季之前完成，以确保为居民提供有效、及时的救济。

“随着热浪愈演愈烈，气候脆弱社区所承受的负担也越来越重，”首尔气候与环境总部负责人尹在三表示。

“我们将确保隔热涂料项目有效实施——包括在明年高温再次来袭之前完成施工——以尽可能减轻弱势居民的困境。”

本文由生成式人工智能协助发布，并由《韩国时报》编辑。