The Benefits of a Cool Roof

cool roof benefit exampleToday we build on prior blog posts about energy-efficient buildings and the ENERGY STAR program and its role in qualifying cool roof systems. At present, Americans spend about $40 billion in annual building cooling costs— one-sixth of the electricity generated in the United States each year. One option that has emerged as a way of containing energy costs is the “cool roof system”—which provides great reflectivity for lower A/C costs. But how exactly does the cool roof system provide benefits?

Below, we take a quick look at how a cool roof can benefit building owners and human populations as a whole.

The Cool Roof and Its Consumer Benefits

  • Cool roofs have high reflectance and emittance values. Emittance values and reflectance values are formal terms for how much heat a roof is able to release, and how much of the sun’s energy a roof is able to reflect as light back into the sky. The Cool Roof Rating Council, a leading non-profit, third party organization that measures and certifies energy-efficient roofing, says that “cool roofing” is able to reflect and emit a substantial amount of the sun’s energy. Because of its great emittance and reflective properties, a cool roof therefore keeps heat from transferring to a building below, where it will be taxing on an air conditioning system. As a result, building owners enjoy a comfortable interior space during the hot summer months and can recoup 10-30% in cooling savings.
  • Cool roofs reduce buildings’ carbon footprint on the environment. Since cool roofs conserve electricity, they play a direct role in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions into the air. When buildings use less electricity for their cooling, power plants generate less electricity and release fewer carbon emissions into the air. Cool roofs’ reflective properties also have a substantial impact on lessening global warming and its effects: instead of transferring the sun’s energy to the building below, a cool roof bounces the heat back into the atmosphere as light. This reflectivity also increases the roof’s lifespan, making it less susceptible to deterioration caused by the sun.
  • Cool roofs raise public standards for environmental well-being and public health. The Cool Roof Ratings Council reports that growing public awareness of the benefits of ‘eco-friendly’ roofing has led to improved building codes and more active “green building” programs across the United States. As these building codes incorporate minimal requirements for roofing products that meet minimal energy-efficiency standards, new buildings are constructed with cool roof systems, and more solar radiation is reflected back into the sky and more absorbed heat released during the day. The end result is improved air quality, which helps cut down on health issues arising from the influence of smog or lasting periods of heat (e.g., heat stroke, heat exhaustion, dehydration, or asthma).
  • A cool roof can give a building owner sharp energy savings at electricity demand peaks. A cool roof reduces electricity usage at the hottest periods of the day. As a result, the energy grid does not perform as heavily, and building owners who pay for electricity according to times of usage can see substantial energy savings at peak times of demand for electricity.

It is clear that a cool roof system can offer a building owner great value: a more comfortable building, less environmentally taxing energy consumption, substantial energy savings, and more. Many roofing product brands build on top of these benefits, though, offering building owners much in the areas of protection and long-term durability.

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Conklin Cool Roof Systems and Their Additional Benefits

roof coating fabricOne such brand is Conklin. Conklin has been a leader in the energy-efficient roofing market since it created the first acrylic roof coating for the commercial roofing industry- an innovation that played a part in propelling energy efficiency as a consumer concern in the nonresidential construction industry. Since its creation of this cool roof coating, Conklin has been a leader in high-performance, energy-efficient roof coating systems for 40+ years. Over 2 billion square feet of roofing have Conklin products applied on them.

When applied, a Conklin cool roof system is characterized by a seamless impenetrable membrane that lies on top of an existing commercial roof. Because it is seamless, the roof does not have trouble with leaks and even stands up to powerful outdoor extremes such as hurricane-grade winds or hailstorms. The building’s structural support is reinforced, and the old roof has its life extended for decades without the heavy expenses of roof replacement.

Conklin cool roofs reflect up to 85% of the sun’s heat in the atmosphere, generating heavy energy savings for building owners. A Conklin cool roof system can pay for itself in just five to seven years with these tremendous savings. Plus, all Conklin roof systems are backed by non-prorated warranties covering materials and labor.

Should you be interested in learning how a Conklin roof system can be of use to your commercial roof and save you money, give us a call at 800-670-5583. We will be happy to schedule a free roof estimate with a roof contractor in the group.

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Written by: Ian Myers
Ian Myers
Ian was the very first team member brought on by the original co-founders of the Choice Roof Contractor Group to assist with nationwide growth. Since then he has written 120+ blog posts and provided excellent support to the roofing contractors in the group. Through his multiple roles in the commercial roofing industry, he has gained tremendous knowledge in the sector.