G20 china_web

ADVOCACY
We are
striving to
increase
the use of
renewable
materials
The high growth economy of the region increases
the need for innovation and AkzoNobel launches
essential new products every year in the exterior
wall paint category. Our research programs are
mainly focused on sustainability, energy efficient
solutions, long-term durability and protection, and
aesthetics for exterior walls. Guided by our Planet
Possible approach to “doing more with less”, and
underlined by our #1 ranking on the Dow Jones
Sustainability Index, AkzoNobel is constantly
striving to develop better and more sustainable
products and technologies in order to make
people’s lives more liveable and inspiring.
Today, nearly four billion people live
in cities. This number is expected to
increase by 2.5 billion by 2050, with
over 90 per cent of this growth being
in Asia and Africa. Cities will need to
accommodate spiralling urbanisation, service the
needs of citizens and stimulate commerce and
investment to create jobs, all within the constraints
imposed by climate change and the need to meet
greenhouse gas emission targets. At AkzoNobel,
we believe that innovation can enable cities to
“do more with less” and turn the urbanisation
challenge into an opportunity to create more
“Human Cities” for people and society in general.
As one of the world’s leading paint companies
– with globally recognised brands such as Sikkens,
Dulux, International and Interpon – AkzoNobel has
established its global Research, Development and
Innovation (RD&I) centre for exterior wall paints in
Singapore. This garden city, in the centre of South
East Asia, is a stimulating hub for innovation.
Reducing environmental footprint
Reducing the environmental footprint of our
coatings is a clear focus of our research programs.
We are striving to increase the use of renewable
materials and optimise our use of lower carbon
footprint raw materials. Another significant way to
reduce footprint is through increasing the durability
of exterior wall paints. Enabling longer maintenance
and repainting cycles helps to reduce building
maintenance costs and environmental impact. This
is achieved by lowering the use of resources for
the paint itself, which will last longer, as well as
reducing water use due to less need for cleaning.
Both climate and human activities alter the
appearance of building façades through UV-driven
colour fading, erosion, cracking, flaking, dirt and
dust pick-up, fungal and algal growth. In tropical
urban environments in particular, most exterior wall
paints currently last around five to eight years. We
are developing solutions to extend this durability
to 10 years and beyond. Our research programs are
focused on developing new polymer technologies to
best balance weatherability and flexibility to create
products with a longer durability than standard
products used on building façades. In combination
with durable pigments that do not fade under
strong UV, and smart formulation modelling,
we can deliver extended repainting cycles.
Beyond traditional coatings, zero-VOC
powder coatings for exterior façades can last
for 20 years or more.
Deliver energy efficient solutions
Cities also experience the “urban heat
island effect”, especially those cities
that are subject to temperatures of 35
degrees celsius and above throughout
the year. This results in growing energy
consumption, which is needed
to cool down buildings. What
many people are unaware of,
however, is the fact that the
materials used on exterior
façades can have a significant impact
on the temperature inside a building.
When infrared radiation from the
sun strikes the surface of a building,