The UK-based, Long Term Development Group of Becker Industrial Coatings has become one of the first laboratories in the world to gain ISO 17025 (General Requirements for the Competence of Calibration and Testing Laboratories) for the testing of solar reflectance and other thermal properties of coatings and painted surfaces according to the ASTM Methods E 903; C 1371 and E 1980 the company reported.

The ISO 17025 accreditation enables Beckers to offer a fully traceable and externally audited testing facility for the measurement of these radiative and thermal properties. The accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025 is provided by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service; the sole national accreditation body recognized by the British Government.

The determination of the radiative and thermal properties of construction materials such as painted metal cladding and roofing is becoming more important as global awareness increases about the part that radiative properties play in helping reduce urban heat island effects and offset the use of CO2 generating cooling and heating systems.

Internationally recognized, sustainability rating schemes such as the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program require these properties to be considered during the design process. Moreover both the US Energy Star program and the European Energy Performance Buildings Directive 2010/31/EU, recognize the importance of passive cooling technologies and the need for improved thermal performance of building envelopes.