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The options are growing daily for those looking to make their commercial or multi-family properties more eco-friendly. Consumers and businesses alike are recognizing how important it is to preserve our environment, and new building methods can facilitate that goal tremendously. Furthermore, the government is so dedicated to eco-friendly building projects that you may be able to receive tax breaks or low-rate loans for having an energy-conscious building. One eco-friendly building system that is gaining popularity is the cool roof.
What Is a Cool Roof?
A cool roof is a roof that reflects, rather than absorbs, the sun's radiant heat. The result is a cooler edifice and a mitigation of the Urban Heat Island Effect, a phenomenon that occurs in dense urban areas where the ambient temperature is considerably higher than in nearby suburban areas. These urban areas also tend to produce more ozone, which pollutes the air.
How Do Cool Roofs Work?
A cool roof is fairly simple. It uses highly reflective materials so that heat is reflected rather than absorbed. The heat dissipates and the building becomes cooler; that is, less energy is required to disperse the heat. A roof is classified as a cool roof when it has a solar reflectance value when new of at least 0.65, meaning that at least 65 percent of the sun's heat energy is reflected.
What Are the Benefits of a Cool Roof?
There are many benefits to having a cool roof on your building. The general benefits are energy savings and a reduction in air pollution. Cool roofs also tend to have longer lives as they are made from more flexible material, and maintenance on cool roofs tends to be much easier. Single ply cool roofs can even be recycled.
How Do I Get a Cool Roof?
There are a variety of cool roof options for your building. If you're having your roof replaced, you can replace it with a material with high reflectance value right away. If you simply want to make your current structure eco-friendly, there are coatings you can apply to your roof to increase the reflectance value. Your best bet is to approach a qualified roofing contractor and tell them you are interested in a cool roof. A company like RoofCorp can analyze your current structure, determine which cool roof options are best for you, and then come up with an estimate for how much the job will cost. Remember that the cost of installing a cool roof can often be offset by energy savings and tax breaks, not to mention the goodwill you will generate from the community.
Explore the different cool roofing options and costs, but always remember that a cheaper job done poorly will usually cost you more in the long run. Work with roofers like RoofCorp who have experience and commitment to quality, so that you can have confidence in your new cool roof. |
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