With demand for energy-efficient buildings on the rise, many building owners have been turning to energy-efficient roofing. But there are a number of options for energy-conserving roof systems available on today’s market, and two options stand out as an excellent alternative to a black roof—green roofs and white roofs.
As to which of these commercial roof systems offers greater benefits, advocates on both sides have brought up suitable points. Today, we cover a recently completed case study that took a look at the benefits of green roofs, white roofs, and black roofs.
Case Study: Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory Study on Roofing Energy Efficiency
As noted in a February-published news article on SustainableBusiness.com, Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory conducted a study that analyzed the cost-effectiveness and energy-conserving power of green roofs, white roofs, and black roofs. Spanning 50 years, the study involved the close monitoring of 22 commercial flat roofs and assumed a 20-year lifespan for black and white roofs and a 40-year life span for green roofs.
The white roofs were found to reflect three times more sunlight than the green roofs, keeping the interiors of the buildings on which they were installed drastically lower. Thus, they were considered to the best ‘cool roofs’ in the study. Particularly, the white roofs were found to be up to 50° cooler during the summertime. Compared to the monitored black roofs, the white roofs saved $25 per square meter; in contrast to the white roofs, the green roofs had an additional cost of $71 per square meter.
Therefore, from the standpoint of being economical and saving energy, white roofs beat out green roofs. It should be noted that the sample size of 22 commercial roofs for the study is hardly conclusive, though. Add to that the fact that the geographic location of a commercial roof can be a factor, and one quickly comes to the conclusion that the study is not foolproof. Other dimensions could have factored in the study results as well.
Green roofs did hold some advantages over white roofs, namely being the better choice for storm water runoff and production of better air quality.
The article can be found at: https://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/25492
Other Case Study of Green Roofs vs. White Roofs
The Berkeley Labs’ study did reflect findings from a much smaller study, namely “The Battle of the Bulbs” competition conducted in Chicago in the spring of last year. In that competition, a green roof was pitted against a white roof for determination of which roof type produced lower electric bills. The white roof emerged as the winner, producing more than $40,000 in cost savings over the green roof.
Closing Thoughts
Roofing Services
Our professional commercial roof contractors provide:
- Roof maintenance & repair
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- Energy efficient roof systems
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Should you be interested in learning how a Conklin roof system can benefit your building, backed by a non-prorated warranty that covers labor and material costs for up to 20 years, give us a call at 800-670-5583 for a free room estimate.
