Cool Roof Rating

Getting a cool roof rating is important as green building strategies progress to stay abreast of increasingly strict building energy codes and standards. Solar reflectance and thermal emittance properties, the radiative properties of the roof’s outer layer, are what define a cool roof. Here’s how to use your roof’s rating to find a solution for your HVAC problems:
 

While we applaud your environmental responsibility in choosing recyclable roofing material, what is more important to its cool rating is its ability to reflect and emit heat from the sun. Color is important: black roofs get as much as 90 degrees hotter than white roofs. Your best bet would be to look for recyclable material that bears a label from the Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC) or an Energy Star label.
 

U.S. homeowners typically demand non-white roofs. Fortunately, it is now possible to meet cool roof rating demands by fitting a roof that has colorants or pigments that reflect the undetectable, near-infrared radiation that accounts for over half of the energy in sunlight. The Heat Island Group estimates that the possible net energy savings in the U.S. achievable by applying white roofs to commercial buildings and cool-colored roofs to private residences is more than $750 million per year. Americans pay out about $40 billion per annum to air condition buildings – one-sixth of all energy generated in this country. If you’re thinking of repairing or replacing your existing roof, consider using cool materials. Not only will you be doing something positive for the environment, but you will also be saving money as your cooling needs decrease.