Cool roofs what is a cool roof a cool roof is a roofing system able to reflect solar heat and keep roof surfaces cool under the sun.
Example cool roofs.
Historically cool roofs have been either white.
A cool roof is a roofing system that delivers higher solar reflectance the ability to reflect the visible infrared and ultraviolet wavelengths of the sun reducing heat transfer to the building and higher thermal emittance the ability to radiate absorbed or non reflected solar energy than standard designed roofing products.
Standard or dark roofs can reach temperatures of 150 f or more in the summer sun.
Green roofs provide a thermal mass layer which helps reduce the flow of heat into a building.
For example san antonio s cps energy offers a cool roof rebate in some circumstances.
Cool roofs can be made of a highly reflective type of paint a sheet covering or highly reflective tiles or shingles.
Green roofs may not reflect as much as a cool roof but do have other benefits such as evapotranspiration which cools the plants and the immediate area around the plants aiding in lowering rooftop.
This is due to the properties of the reflective and emissive materials used which reflect solar radiation back into the atmosphere.
Haus serangoon garden the first landed housing estate in singapore to receive the bca green mark platinum award boasts cool roofs as one of its energy efficiency design measures.
At the request of the arizona cool roof council in july 2009 starkweather roofing set out to determine if white roofs are indeed cooler and more energy efficient than non white roofs.
A cool roof under the same conditions could stay more than 50 f cooler and save energy and money by using less air conditioning.
There are currently no mandatory national code regulations regarding minimum reflectivity values for low slope roof systems.
2 cool roofs in europe.
Intricate roofs have many parts that incorporate several of the basic roof designs such as a gable roof sitting atop a gambrel or variations of the gable valley roof design using one or a variety of different types of roof trusses also see our very detailed diagrams showing the different parts of a roof truss.
The nationwide scottsdale insurance company roof was a perfect choice for this in depth cool roof study.
Other cool roof benefits the global cool cities alliance argues that society as a whole benefits from cool roofs.
For example installation of cool roofs at landed houses contributes towards green mark certification.
California s title 24 for example includes language that specifies cool roofs.
Other states like georgia and texas and some municipalities like chicago have followed suit.
Five case studies were implemented within the framework of the cool roofs project to demonstrate cool roof capabilities in real buildings in terms of improving the thermal conditions in non air conditioned buildings and reducing the energy consumption in air conditioned buildings.
