Commercial roofing systems are constantly bombarded by the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays, which causes the roof to deteriorate and break down over time. The heat from the sun also makes the building uncomfortably hot for occupants and forces the air conditioning system to work overtime – driving up energy costs.
A cool roof is a great alternative for commercial buildings. This is especially true in a warm climate like Texas.
What is a Cool Roof?
A cool roof is a type of roofing material which reflects more sunlight and absorbs less heat than a standard roofing material. This helps to keep the building cooler and can reduce energy costs by up to 30%.
A roof’s “coolness” is determined by two characteristics, solar reflectance (SR) and thermal emittance (TE), both rated on a 0-1 scale, with one being the most reflective.
The Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC) uses two distinct properties to grade roofing products- initial values and after three years of outdoor exposure. These results are available for public view on the online Rated Products Directory, allowing anyone to compare the values of various brands and product types. CRRC has also created a cool roof rating calculator, which is used to estimate the energy savings of a particular roofing product.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR program also offers a cool roof rating system, like CRRC’s but rates products on an 0-100 scale instead of 0-1.
Benefits of Installing a Cool Roof
- Reduced energy costs: By reflecting sunlight and absorbing less heat, cool roofs can help to reduce energy costs by up to 30%.
- Increased comfort: A cool roof keeps the building cooler, which makes occupants more comfortable and reduces the need for air conditioning.
- Extended roof life: By protecting the roof from UV rays and heat damage, a cool roof helps to extend its life.
- Aesthetics: Many cool roofing products are available in various colors, which helps enhance the look of the building.
- Reduce urban heat island effect: The urban heat island effect refers to the phenomenon of cities being warmer than their surrounding rural areas. This is due to a large amount of concrete and asphalt in cities, which absorb and retain heat. The heat is then re-radiated into the atmosphere, making the city hotter. Cool roofs can help to reduce the urban heat island effect by reflecting sunlight and absorbing less heat.
- Utility rebates and tax incentives: Many utilities offer rebate programs for customers who install cool roofs. There may also be federal, state, and local tax incentives available.
Contact our team at Certified Commercial Roofing today to learn more about cool roofs and have one installed on your commercial building. We are Sugar Land’s trusted commercial roofing contractor and would be happy to answer any questions you have.
