Blistering heat during the dry season and extreme super typhoons during the wet season—Filipinos are experiencing first-hand what it means to live in one of the countries that the World Health Organization listed as the most vulnerable to the negative effects of climate change.
During the height of summer in April 2018, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) recorded temperatures with dangerous levels of heat index breaching 44 degrees Celsius, even reaching as high as 48.2 degrees in Northern Luzon. Based on the study “Climate Change and Private Sector Development” by the German Technical Cooperation Agency (GTZ) in cooperation with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) , the country’s average annual mean temperature has increased by 0.9 – 1.2°C and is expected to continually increase by 1.7 – 3.0°C in 2050.
The wet season, on the other hand, dampens productivity with the humid southwest monsoon or “habagat” and extreme typhoons that cause destruction to health, life and property. With approximately 20 tropical cyclones entering the Philippine Area of Responsibility
(PAR) every year, the Philippines is among the most typhoon-prone countries in the world. Recent years have seen the influx of very strong typhoons Yolanda in 2013, and Ompong in September 2018.
These environmental challenges pose hazards on existing structures that used building products, such as roofing materials, that fall below the correct standards. The urgency of mandating product standards cannot be relegated to the background anymore with the ongoing construction boom in industrial, commercial and residential buildings.
The Philsteel Group of companies pioneered the introduction of roofing technologies in the Philippines using patented, cutting edge technologies. Philsteel became a trailblazer when it introduced GALVALUME® 55, the first 55% aluminum and zinc alloy coated steel sheet that provides superior roofing protection for Filipinos. Manufactured by Philsteel’s subsidiary Steel Corporation of the Philippines, GALVALUME® 55 roofing sheet conforms to the requirements of the Philippine National Standard for Roofing (55% AL/ZN) (PNS 67: 2014), offering peace of mind against the onslaught of extreme heat and heavy rainfall. Steel Corporation of the Philippines prints the actual Total Coated Thickness on the sheet allowing the consumer to know exactly the thickness of the roofing sheet they are buying. Unlike GI sheets with only zinc coating, GALVALUME® 55 coating is composed of 55% Aluminum, 43.5% Zinc and 1.5% Silicon. This composition provides superior roofing protection including:
- Superior rust protection – Galvalume® 55 roofing sheet provides 3 to 6x longer protection against rust compared to ordinary GI giving the customer a longer service life for his roof.
- High heat reflectivity – Galvalume® 55 roofing sheet has superior reflectance of the sun’s heat, allowing a cooler environment inside the house greatly reducing the cost of electricity.
- Retains original silvery finish for a longer period – Galvalume® 55 roofing sheet retains its shine and silvery finish making your roof look new for a longer period of time.
Available in a wide range of six (6) variants of Total Coated Thickness designed to suit any weather condition and the recommended thickness to withstand heavy rains and high winds with proper installation:
Galvalume® 55 Alzinc 0.18 – Signal 1 at 30-60 KPH
Galvalume® 55 Premium 0.22mm – Signal 2 at 61-120 KPH
Galvalume® 55 Supreme 0.26mm – Signal 3 at 121-170 KPH
Galvalume® 55 XQ 0.30mm – Signal 4 at 171 – 220 KPH
Galvalume® 55 Classic 0.33mm or Zincalume at 0.38mm – withstand supertyphoons at 221 KPH and above.
It has always been our advocacy to raise the standards of metal roofing materials and other building products for Filipinos, The roof is a structure’s first line of defense from natural hazards such as wind, rain, and extreme heat, so we strongly feel that complying with high standards is imperative.
Philsteel Chairman and CEO Abeto A. Uy.
GALVALUME® 55 is available at all Galvaforce Centers and leading hardware stores nationwide.