Here's something most Queensland homeowners never consider: your roof might be costing you more than $1,000 extra every year in electricity — not because your air conditioner is old, but because your roof is working against it.
Most people assume a light-coloured roof is doing a reasonable job of reflecting heat. And compared to a dark roof, it is. But reasonable isn't the same as good. A standard light-coloured roof reflects less than 65% of the sun's energy. A dark roof? Less than 25%. The rest gets absorbed straight into your roof structure, heats your ceiling cavity, and forces your air conditioner to compensate — every single day of a Queensland summer.
Thermobond HRC was built specifically to solve this problem. And the results aren't marketing claims — they're independently verified by Queensland University of Technology.
What the QUT Research Actually Found
QUT, commissioned by Ergon Energy, conducted a two-year independent trial on Thermobond HRC across 16 buildings and 10 sites in Queensland — homes, schools, offices, and retail spaces in both Brisbane and Townsville.
The findings were clear. The reflective coating reflected 88% of the sun's energy — compared to less than 65% for standard light paint and less than 25% for dark roofs. Across the buildings tested, average energy savings ranged from 5% to 30%, with most buildings showing savings above 15%.
One of the most striking results came from a block of two air-conditioned classrooms in Springfield, west of Brisbane. After the coating was applied, electricity consumption dropped by 1,144 kilowatt hours per year — roughly equivalent to one tonne of CO2 per annum, for just two classrooms. Both electricity consumption and peak demand fell significantly.
Professor John Bell, Head of QUT's School of Chemistry, Physics and Mechanical Engineering, noted that the results showed a cool roof could be a viable and far cheaper alternative to air conditioning — a passive cooling solution that requires no ongoing investment in the electricity network.
The QUT data also showed a 10–20% reduction in energy demand post-coating across commercial buildings, with the effect most pronounced when ambient temperatures exceeded 29°C. In Queensland terms, that means the coating performs hardest exactly when you need it most.
How Thermobond HRC Actually Works
Standard roof paint is designed to protect and colour your roof. Thermobond HRC is designed to stop heat transfer — and it approaches this on three levels simultaneously.
First, solar reflectivity: the coating reflects 88% of incoming solar radiation before it can be absorbed. Second, high heat emissivity: any heat that is absorbed gets released back into the atmosphere rather than transferred downward into your building. Third, membrane thickness: the physical depth of the applied coating adds a thermal barrier that no standard paint can replicate.
The result is temperature reductions in three measurable areas — the roof surface itself, the roof cavity, and non-air-conditioned internal spaces. That last point matters for anyone with a garage, workshop, sleep-out, or warehouse space that doesn't have air conditioning.
What This Means for a Typical Queensland Home
For a household spending $1,500 per year on air conditioning, a 25–30% reduction in cooling load translates to $375–$450 in annual savings. The payback period on a residential application typically falls in the 3–5 year range — after which those savings continue for the life of the coating.
Beyond the electricity bill, there are other benefits worth factoring in. Reduced thermal cycling — the constant expansion and contraction of your roof under heat stress — extends the life of the roof underneath the coating. Less air conditioning load means less wear on your AC unit. And in non-conditioned spaces, the improvement in comfort is direct and immediate.
Thermobond HRC has been used across Australia for nearly 20 years on building types ranging from residential homes to shopping centres, warehouses, universities, and schools. The solar reflective coating was developed in Australia, for Australian conditions — which matters when you're dealing with Queensland UV intensity and summer heat cycles.
Is It Worth It?
If your roof is structurally sound and your power bills climb every summer, Thermobond HRC is one of the most cost-effective upgrades available to you. The research is independent, the savings are documented, and the 10-year warranty means the investment is backed — not just promised.
At Properties Unlimited Group, we're accredited applicators of Therma Protect Plus and offer a free on-site inspection before any work begins. We'll assess your roof, talk through what's realistic for your property, and give you a clear picture of what to expect — before you spend a cent.
Book your free inspection → propertiesunlimitedgroup.com.au/contact-us/