Cool Roofs Salem NH

Solar panels are a great way to save energy and help the environment.

The Cool Roof Rating Council tells us that a cool roof reflects and emits the sun's heat back to the sky instead of transferring it to the building below. "Coolness" is measured by two properties: solar reflectance and thermal emittance. Both properties are measured from 0 to 1 and the higher the value, the "cooler" the roof.

Benefits of cool roofs include:

• Energy savings
• Global warming mitigation
• Reduction in urban heat island effect and smog
• Improved occupant comfort
• Compliance with codes and green building programs

The topic of cool roofs was featured recently in an article by Todd Woody , who says, "Green Wombat often highlights high tech when it comes to tackling global warming and energy independence. But a new study from the University of California's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory shows that simply installing white roofs on homes and commercial buildings - to reflect the sun's rays rather than absorb them - can reduce air-conditioning costs by 20% and could save $1 billion a year in energy outlays in the United States."

In the study, the scientists calculated that a global white roofs and roads effort would offset 44 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, or more than a year's worth of carbon, and help stabilize future C02 emission increases. Another intriguing highlight of the article is the note that "Installing cool roofs and cool pavements in ci...

Read the full article in the CalFinder Remodeling and Home Solar Power Magazine