COOL ROOF

Design Brief
 Cool Roof Design Brief

Summary applications, the benefits of implement-

ing a cool roof are also described. Design
On a sunny summer day, a typical roof considerations are discussed, and the
surface can reach temperatures that are methods of applying cool roof technology
nearly 100°F above the ambient tempera- to comply with California Title 24 build-
ture [1]. A cool roof, by contrast, stays at ing requirements are described. Finally,
or near the ambient temperature due to the several examples of cool roof applications
characteristics of its outer layer. There are are provided.
many benefits to keeping a roof ’s surface
cooler, including air-conditioning energy
and demand savings, monetary savings, Introduction
increased human comfort both indoors and
outdoors, and other positive impacts on Commercial and industrial buildings in
urban environmental quality. California account for over half of the total
electricity use in the state [2]. Heating,
Although the actual benefits of a cool roof ventilation, and air-conditioning systems
on a particular building will depend on not only comprise almost 30% of the
many factors, including building type, electricity end-use in commercial build-
load, season, and climate zone, cool roofs ings, but also become a significant source
can significantly reduce summer electrical of electricity demand during peak periods
energy usage. In low-rise buildings, a typi- [3]. Cool roofing can be a cost-effective
cal application will achieve air-condition- way to save air-conditioning-related energy
ing energy savings of approximately 10% use and to reduce demand usage during
to 20% [1]. The energy savings achieved peak-periods for those buildings.
through cool roofing translate into mon-
etary gains for building and facility owners, How does cool roofing help? Reducing
as well as help reduce emissions of atmo- the amount of heat that flows through a
spheric pollutants and greenhouse gases. building’s roof and into the space below
can reduce the building’s air-conditioning
Under the 2005 California Title 24 stan- load and thus reduce the building’s energy
dards, cool roofs are assumed as a baseline cost. Additionally, when the cooling load
in the model buildings that establish the is reduced, mechanical air-conditioning
required energy performance for non- equipment can be downsized, which will
residential buildings with low-slope roofs. help minimize up-front capital costs for
However, installing cool roofs is not man- building owners to purchase air-condition-
datory for new construction. Although not ing equipment.
mandatory, cool roofing is often the least
expensive option to achieve the required en- Since the 1970s, California has established
ergy performance; consequently, cool roof energy efficiency standards to reduce
technology is gaining more attention in energy consumption in buildings. The
the building industry. Owners, designers, 2005 energy standards, commonly referred
contractors, and other stakeholders need to to as Title 24, consider a cool roof to be
have a better understanding of how a cool the standard roof in California for new
roof can be successfully applied to new con- construction or retrofit of low-slope roofs
struction projects and re-roofing projects. on non-residential buildings. A series of
energy efficiency incentive programs has
This design brief provides information been rolled out to encourage adoption of
about how a cool roof works. Focusing on cool roofing technology. As a result, there
commercial and industrial low-slope roof is growing demand for cool roofing.

 COOL ROOF • Design Brief

 This design brief compiles information solar radiation upon striking a roof ’s
on state-of-the-art cool roofing technol- surface, as shown in Figure 1. Much of the
ogy that can be used by building owners, solar radiation is reflected back toward the
architects, energy consultants, and contrac- sky, but some is absorbed by the roof as
tors to identify the potential benefits and heat. A portion of the retained heat will
suitability of installing a cool roof at a new be emitted back to the sky in the form of
facility or on a building undergoing major infrared (IR) radiation. Some heat is also
renovation. The focus of this design brief is carried away from the roof surface through
commercial and industrial low-slope appli- convection. The remaining heat flows
cations; however, much of the material in through the roof. The amount of heat that
this brief can also be applied to residential reaches the conditioned space below the
and steep-slope applications. roof will be determined by the insulative
property of the roof material, and on the
difference in temperatures on either side of
What Is Cool Roofing? the roof.

Unlike conventional roofs, cool roofs stay A cool roof has a higher solar reflectance
at or near ambient temperatures even on and higher thermal emittance than a non-
the hottest summer day. Cool roofing is cool roof. High solar reflectance and high
defined by the radiative properties known thermal emittance of a cool roof combine
as solar reflectance and thermal emittance, to keep the roof surface much cooler than a
shown schematically in Figure 1, and traditional roof, with peak temperature re-
described in more detail below. ductions of 30°F -60°F [1]. Achieving this
type of drop in roof surface temperature
Roof Heat Transfer Mechanism
will reduce the overall heat gain through
Several phenomena occur to the incident the roof and reduce a building’s annual
cooling needs. Studies show cool roofs can
typically reduce summer air-conditioning
energy use by 10%-20% [1].
Solar Radiation Reflected Emitted Sky

Convection

Roof

Insulation

Heat flow to room Room

Figure 1: Heat Transfer through a Roof

www.energydesignresources.com 
 is much cooler. Thus it is possible to have
relatively dark-colored roofs with relatively
1600
“cool” properties. Figure 3 illustrates the
influence of a roof coating on the solar
watts/meterˆ2/micrometer

1200 reflectance [5]. In this example, the solar

VIS reflectance in the visible portion of the
spectrum is the same for both products;
800 however, the product employing “cool
IR color” technology remains cooler by having
much higher reflectance in the IR range.
400
UV

0
100
0.3 0.5 0.7 0.9 1.1 1.3 1.5 1.7 1.9 2.1 2.3 2.5 UV Visible Infrared Different signatures in PR range
wavelength in micrometers 90

80
Figure 2: Solar Energy Distribution Infrared-Reflecting
70
Reflectance (%)

60

50

Solar Reflectance 40

Solar reflectance, or albedo, is the fraction 30

of the incident solar energy that is reflected Conventional
by the surface material. Solar energy con- 20
Same signature in
sists of a spectrum of wavelengths, includ- 10 Visible range
ing ultraviolet, visible, and infrared light.
The solar energy distribution as a function 300 700 2000 2600

Wavelength (nm) Source: ORNL

of wavelength is shown below in Figure 2.
Surface materials that reflect solar energy
over all wavelengths (i.e., that have a higher Figure 3: Solar Reflectance Effect of a Cool Colored Coating
solar reflectance of surface material), will
have better performance in reducing roof
solar heat gain.
Color is a good indicator of solar reflec-
tance only in the visible light range, with
reflectance typically increasing from a
dark-colored to a light-colored surface. For
example, traditional dark-colored roofing
materials have a solar reflectance of about
0.04 to 0.18, whereas light-colored roof
surfaces have a reflectivity of 0.70 or higher
[4]. “Cool color” technologies can increase
the solar reflectance of roofing materials in
the infrared range through the application
of a special coating. In this application, the
roof has the same visual appearance, but

 COOL ROOF • Design Brief

Thermal Emittance Table 1: Cool Roof Definitions
No roof is a perfect reflector, as all surfaces
absorb some solar energy as heat. Part of Minimal Initial Values
the retained heat will be emitted back to Code Solar Reflectance Thermal Emittance
the environment in the form of infrared
radiation. Thermal emittance is a ratio Title 24 0.7 0.75
between what a warm or hot surface emits Energy Star 0.65 N/A
and what a perfect blackbody emitter
would emit at the same temperature. It
Note: A low-slope roof is defined as a surface with a pitch less than or
has a value between 0 and 1, with a low
equal to 2:12. Non-residential buildings include all non-residential
emittance roof becoming relatively hotter
occupancies, as well as high-rise residential, and all hotel and mo-
than a high emittance roof since it is not as
tel occupancies. They do not apply to CBC Group I buildings such
effective at getting rid of the retained heat.
as hospitals, daycare facilities, nursing homes, and prisons, or mobile
The thermal emittance of most common structures. EPA’s Energy Star program specifies a solar reflectance of
roofing materials is approximately 0.80. 0.25 or higher for steep-slope roofs.
Metallic surfaces are the exception, since
bare metals become extremely hot in the
sun. For example, in one outdoor experi-
ment, a bare clean sheet of galvanized steel
with a solar reflectance of about 0.38
reached temperatures nearly as high as a
reference black surface [4]. Thermal emit-
tances of metallic surfaces vary widely be- California Title 24
tween 0.20 and 0.60, depending on surface
conditions [4].
Title 24, the Energy Efficiency Standards for Residen-
The reflectance and emittance of bare tial and Nonresidential Buildings in California, was
metals are very sensitive to the smoothness established in 1978 by the California Energy Commis-
of the surface and the presence of surface
sion in response to a legislative mandate to reduce
oxides, oil, film, etc. Metal roofing is avail-
able with pigmented polymeric coatings, California’s energy consumption. The standards are up-
similar to paint, that are factory applied. dated periodically to allow consideration and possible
These coatings are used to protect the metal incorporation of new energy efficiency technologies
panels, and sometimes also to provide a and methods. The latest standards became effective
more appealing appearance; they can also October 1, 2005. This is the first year in which Title 24
keep the roof cooler. For example, metal
has addressed cool roofing with a prescriptive require-
roofing with cool white coatings (MBCI
Siliconized Polyester White and Atlanta ment. With experience, and the possible development
Metal Products Kynar Snow White) have of new materials or methods, it is likely that cool roof
emittances as high as 0.85 [4]. standards will be updated and also expanded to pos-
sibly include residential applications in 2008.
This document provides a non-inclusive description of
the Title 24 Standards and its compliance approaches.
Consult the more authoritative description at http://
energy.ca.gov/title24 to ensure proper compliance.

www.energydesignresources.com 
 Cool Roofing Standards as 38% has been measured in a field test
According to California Title 24, the En- [5]. Demand savings are slightly higher.
ergy Efficiency Standards for Buildings in A reasonable energy savings expectation
California, a qualifying low-slope cool roof for a typical low-rise commercial building
for non-residential buildings must have an is 10% to 20% of the air-conditioning
initial solar reflectance of 0.70 or greater electricity usage [1].
and an initial thermal emittance of 0.75 or
greater, as rated by the Cool Roof Rating Monetary Savings
Council (CRRC). Title 24 requirements Reduced energy usage from the installa-
are more stringent than EPA’s Energy Star tion of a cool roof naturally translates into
program, which specifies a solar reflectance monetary savings for building owners.1
of 0.65 or higher for low-slope applica- Further, maintaining a roof system can
tions, with no specifications of thermal cost as much as 90% of the total envelope
emittance. The comparison of these two maintenance cost in spite of its relative low
definitions is shown in Table 1. initial construction cost [6]. Applying a
cool coating can reduce the peak tempera-
ture and daily temperature swing expe-
Benefits of Cool Roofing rienced by the roof membrane. Reduced
thermal cycling enhances the durability of
As outlined below, the installation of a some materials, and may extend the life of
cool roof can result in energy and demand the roof and produce less roofing waste.
savings, monetary savings, increased hu- These effects reduce the life cycle cost of
man comfort both indoors and outdoors, the roof. In addition, monetary savings can
and significant positive impacts on urban be achieved when installing or replacing
environmental quality. air-conditioning equipment. Since less
cooling is required with a cool roof, the
Energy and Demand Savings air-conditioning equipment can often be
downsized, resulting in lower procurement
Energy savings due to installation of
costs.
cool roofs have been demonstrated and
measured over a wide range of climates Increase in Human Comfort
and roof types. Typical air-conditioning
electrical savings have been in the range of Cool roofs reduce the heat transfer into a
7% to 34% [5]. Cooling energy savings building. For buildings with no air-condi-
are greater in hot and sunny locations. A tioning cooling, such as many warehouses,
cooling energy demand reduction as high it can significantly increase building

1
Energy savings accrue even though cool roofs cause a slightly increased need for heating
during the winter months. During winter or in a cold climate, use of a cool roof will increase
heating energy use by up to 3% [1]. In heating-dominated climates, reflective roofing can
create a very slight increase in heating demand. However, simulations show that air-condition-
ing savings easily outweigh the heating penalty, even in northerly climates. This is because
in summer the solar altitude is high, and shines mainly on the roof of a building, whereas in
winter the lower sun shines on the walls and through the windows. The roof plays less of a role
in winter than, for example, having large south-facing windows.

 COOL ROOF • Design Brief

occupants’ comfort. Measurements in How to Achieve Title 24
an unconditioned two-story Sacramento Compliance
apartment building showed that adding a
cool roof kept the second floor cooler by
The 2005 Title 24 standards include
4°F, and the first floor cooler by 2°F [5].
prescriptive requirements for cool roofing
Cool roofing increases human comfort for most low-slope roofing applications.
both indoors and outdoors. Cool roofs Although a cool roof is not mandated
transfer less heat to the outdoor environ- under 2005 Title 24, a cool roof is assumed
ment than do typical roofs. Reduced as a baseline in establishing the allowed
outdoor air temperatures increase general energy budget for a building. In other
comfort for pedestrians and residences in words, the allowed energy budget for a
summer. building is based on that building having a
cool roof. If a cool roof is not installed, the
Environmental Impacts “lost” energy savings that will result must
Installing cool roofs also has positive envi- be saved by other means, such as install-
ronmental impacts. At a community scale, ing additional insulation or more efficient
increasing the solar reflectance of roofs mechanical equipment in order to comply.
can effectively and inexpensively mitigate This concept of “making up” the “lost”
an urban heat island [7]. An urbanized energy savings is applied somewhat differ-
area can be about 2-9°F hotter than the ently based upon the Title 24 compliance
surrounding rural area. Increasing the solar method chosen for the building.
reflectance of roofs transfers less heat to the Most building renovations, including
ambient environment than do non-cool re-roofing jobs, are also subject to Title 24
roofs. The resulting lower outdoor air tem- requirements. With some exceptions, the
peratures can slow urban smog formation. cool roof requirements must be met when
Simulations predict a reduction in ozone half of the roof or 2,000 ft2, whichever is
of 10-20% resulting from a 3-4°F cool- less, is being re-roofed.
ing in ambient temperature [8]. Urban air
temperature elevation also aggregates air- Compliance details and forms can be
conditioning use by adding 5-10% of peak found in the Title 24 compliance manual
electric demand, at a direct cost of several at http://energy.ca.gov/title24. The manual
billion dollars annually [7]. Widespread provides two alternative approaches for
use of cool roofs could be a significant complying with non-residential energy
contributor to a reduction in urban ambi- budgets: prescriptive and performance.
ent temperature. A 10-20% reduction Within the prescriptive approach, there are
in ozone would be comparable to that two compliance paths: the envelope com-
obtained by replacing all gasoline on-road ponent and the overall envelope approaches.
motor vehicles with electric cars [9]. The envelope component approach is
the simpler method, but provides little
Electricity savings and peak demand flexibility. The overall envelope approach
reductions yielded by cool roofs can reduce allows some limited trade-offs. The second
power-plant emissions of NOx, carbon- main category, the performance approach,
dioxide and undesirable particulate matter, is more complicated, but offers the greatest
especially when peak demand reduction degree of design flexibility. All methods
decreases the use of inefficient peak-power are available for new construction or for
plants. re-roofing projects.

www.energydesignresources.com 
 Prescriptive Approach: Envelope and improvements are made to the other
Component building envelope components to com-
Under the envelope component approach, pensate, this compliance approach must
each baseline component of the envelope be used. The required forms are ENV-1-C
assemblies (walls, roofs, floors, windows, Certificate of Compliance and ENV-3-C
skylights) must comply individually with Overall Envelope Method. In the case that
its requirement. If one component of the a non-qualifying cool roof is installed,
envelope does not comply, then the entire envelope insulation must be upgraded
envelope does not comply. So, for this to compensate. More about the trade-off
“prescriptive checklist” Title 24 compli- between a cool roof and the envelope will
ance method, a cool roof is required. The be discussed in the design consideration
cool roof requirement does not overlap the section.
insulation requirement of the roof. That is,
Performance Approach
the insulation requirements must be met
separately. The performance approach is the most
complicated method of complying with
This approach is the easiest way to comply Title 24, yet it permits the most trade-offs
with Title 24. It involves only complet- among all envelope components, as well as
ing a checklist and filling out two forms. trade-offs between the building envelope
This approach is generally the easiest and and mechanical and lighting systems. With
most expedient although it provides little this approach, building and HVAC systems
flexibility. working together meet or are better than
The required compliance forms for this ap- the baseline building’s total energy budget.
proach are ENV-1-C Certificate of Com- The performance approach requires use of
pliance; and ENV-2-C Envelope Compo- an approved computer software program
nent Method. A Cool Roof Rating Council that models the proposed building, deter-
(CRRC) label for the roof product must mines its allowed energy budget, calculates
be submitted. If a cool roof is installed and its energy use, and determines whether it
roof insulation is involved, the insulation complies with the budget.
level must be brought up to existing code. Some new construction projects take
advantage of roof space for other uses, such
Prescriptive Approach: Overall Envelope
as garden roofs, decks, patios, and photo-
The overall envelope approach allows the voltaic (PV) panels. For these applications,
performance of some building envelope the performance approach should be used.
components to be increased while the Cool roof regulations apply to PV systems
performance of others is reduced, as long that are embedded or integrated into the
as overall heat gain and loss are no greater roof, as well as designs in which PV panels
than a building in minimum compliance are mounted on racks above the roof
with the prescriptive requirements. The cal- surface. Note that the electricity produced
culations of overall heat gain and loss of the by PV solar electric systems cannot be used
proposed building must be considered. The as a trade-off in meeting a building’s energy
formula for calculating overall heat loss and budget.
gain for a standard building and for the
proposed building are provided in Equa-
tions 143-B, C, D, E of the Standards.
If the new roof is not a qualified cool roof,

 COOL ROOF • Design Brief

For complicated new construction projects, How to Get LEED Credits
the performance approach is often chosen.
An energy simulation specialist is generally Leadership in Energy and Environmental
required to correctly model the building Design (LEED) is a voluntary program
with the computer software. formed by the U.S. Green Building Coun-
cil to help professionals across the country
How to Estimate Energy Savings
improve the quality of buildings and their
There are three simple calculators available impact on the environment. Participation
to estimate the energy savings for a typical is highly encouraged by a growing list of
building. The estimates provided by these city, state, and federal agencies. Credits
calculators do not, however, apply to Title toward LEED certification are available for
24 compliance. installing cool roofs in new construction
• The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and major retrofits. The LEED program
web calculator (http://www.ornl.gov/ periodically updates and revises their
sci/roofs+walls/facts/CoolCalcPeak.htm) standards, and the program should be con-
provides an estimation of annual electric- sulted to ensure that the most up-to-date
ity savings and demand reduction. It has values are used. There are distinct LEED
limited insulation and location choices. standards for new construction and for
existing buildings, as explained below.
• The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) Energy Star Roof Calcula- LEED-EB
tor (available at http://roofcalc.cadmus- For an existing building, a cool roof in the
dev.com) provides only annual electricity LEED system is defined with the Solar
savings, but it applies to any location in Reflectance Index (SRI) value of the roof
the U.S. material. The SRI is required to be equal
• The Standard Performance Contract to or greater than 78 for low-slope roofs
(SPC) Application Software (http://www. and 29 for steep-slope roofs. It is defined
pge.com/spc) is similar to EPA’s Calcula- so that a standard black (reflectance 0.05,
tor, but it is specialized for calculating emittance 0.90) is 0 and a standard white
the incentives for installing a cool roof (reflectance 0.80, emittance 0.90) is 100.
under PG&E’s or SCE’s SPC program. Both the reflectance and emittance value
are necessary to calculate SRI for a mate-
All three calculators are simple to use, rial. SRI is calculated according to ASTM2
but all tend to underestimate the savings. -specified methods.
When the cost-benefit ratio in a particular
project is a concern, a detailed building LEED-NC
energy simulation should be used. These
For new construction under LEED-NC
energy simulation software programs are
2.2, in the sustainable sites area, installa-
available at: http://www.eere.energy.gov/
tion of cool roofing on over 75% of the
buildings/tools_directory/.
roof will result in 1 point; in the materials
and resources area, maintaining 75% of

2
American Society for Testing and Materials

www.energydesignresources.com 
 the building shell will result in 1 point; • Single-Ply Membranes are 35- to 60-
maintaining 100% of the building shell mil membranes made of various mate-
will result in more than 1 point. Details of rials, including EPDM, CSPE, PVC,
the LEED crediting system are available on and TPO. A number of bright white
the USGBC’s website at http://www.usgbc. Single-Plys are in the market which meet
com. A LEED-accredited professional the Title 24 definition for cool roofs
should be consulted in order to receive (CRRC reflectance ≥ 0.7, emittance ≥
project certification. 0.75); but traditional black, gray, and tan
membranes are generally not cool with
lower reflectance values. To secure the
Design Considerations membranes to the substrate, adhesive,
mechanically fastened, or ballasted meth-
To achieve compliance with the Title ods are used. Seams must be sealed with
24 Standards, the solar reflectance and thermoset or thermoplastic, adhesive
emittance of the roof product must have bond, heat-welded, or taped.
been tested and listed with the Cool Roof • Modified Bitumen Roofing is similar
Rating Council (CRRC) http://coolroofs. to both BUR and Single-Ply membrane.
org. CRRC is an advisory entity formed Materials are either plastic or rubber.
in 1998 responsible for establishing and The colors are black or gray with a solar
maintaining a rating system for cool roof reflectance of only about 0.05 to 0.2.
products. The initial values of solar reflec- Modified Bitumen Roofing consists
tance and thermal emittance of roofing of composite sheets of asphalt bitu-
materials are tested by CRRC-designated men modified with polymers. They are
agencies using ASTM procedures. CRRC installed in single or multiple layers, and
has listed over 600 rated roofing products the layers are adhered with hot asphalt,
as of early 2006. torching down, or cold adhesive.

Low-Slope Roof Options

Traditional low-slope roofs commonly use Hundreds of cool roof products are avail-
Built-Up Roofing (BUR), Single-Ply Mem- able for low-slope applications. They gener-
brane, or Modified Bitumen Roofing. Each ally have a solar reflectance over 0.70 and a
of these roofing options is described below thermal emittance over 0.80. There are two
in more detail. types of cool roofs: single-ply membrane with
bright white color (as shown in Figure 4),
• BUR is the least expensive roofing mate-
or coatings applied to the traditional roof
rial in the California market. BUR roofs
membranes or a mineral cap sheet. Instal-
mostly appear light gray or tan and have
lations are generally roll-over or spray, as
a solar reflectance of 0.15-0.25. They
shown in Figure 5.
are usually applied hot and topped with
aggregate rocks or capsheets.

10 COOL ROOF • Design Brief

 Cool Single-Ply Roofing. Cool single-ply
roofing has high solar reflectance integrated
in its material. These products are best used
for new construction projects or existing
roofs that are beyond repair.
• Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC). The most
commonly used cool single-ply is PVC,
which has seams that are typically heat-
welded to give a very secure seal. PVCs
have good flame resistance, but if burned
Figure 4: Single-Ply Membrane Cool Roof they tend to smoke with extremely
toxic hydrogen chloride gas. Plasticizers
are added for flexibility; when they are
leached out over the years, the roof mate-
rial becomes brittle and discolored.
• Thermoplastic Poly Olefin (TPO).
Another thermoplastic type of cool
single-ply roofing material is Thermo-
plastic Poly Olefin (TPO). No plasticizer
is used in the material and they tend to
be more dirt resistant than PVC. TPOs
are rapidly gaining market share. But
no ASTM standard exists yet to gauge
quality, and heat welding is tricky, as the
material can overheat. For fire resistance,
some additives must be added and their
usage has brought up many environmen-
Figure 5: Typical Cool Roof Spray Installation tal concerns.
• White Ethylene Propylene Diene Mono-
mer (EPDM). EPDM is a thermoset
type of cool single-ply roofing material.
It consists of two layers with a black
base and a white top. EPDM is the least
expensive among all cool single-ply roof-
ing materials, but it is less durable due to
its lack of UV protection and is not very
commonly used.
• Chloro Sulfonated Poly Ethylene
(CSPE). CSPE is the most expensive
cool single-ply roofing material. It
provides good weather resistance, fire
resistance, and durability. The material
is thermoplastic when installed, so heat
welds are applied to the seams; the roof-
ing cures to thermoset within days.

www.energydesignresources.com 11
 Cool Roof Coatings. Cool roof coatings
are commonly used in re-roofing projects.
They apply mostly bright white paint-like
materials to traditional roofs or metallic
surfaces. The coating extends the life of the
underlying roof materials and greatly in-
creases the solar reflectance. Cementitious
coatings use cement or ceramic particles
to enhance solar reflectance. They can be
sprayed, rolled, or brushed on the roof-
top. Properly selected and installed, they
perform well; however, they can be brittle
and crack, flake, or peel from surfaces over
time. An example is shown in Figure 6.
Thermoplastic coatings are new to the
California market. They have very good
UV resistance, a hard surface, and are dirt
resistant. The clear coat finish increases Figure 6: Cementitious Coating Cool Roof
durability and extends the life of the coat-
ing. These products have been used in
New Zealand and Australia for over 25
years. An example is shown in Figure 7.
Elastomeric coatings are also available, with
various polymers used for different types of
substrates.

Figure 7: Thermoplastic Coating Cool Roof

12 COOL ROOF • Design Brief

 Costs

The cost of cool single-ply roofing is be-

tween $1.50 and $3.00/ft2. The cost of cool
coatings is between $0.75 and $1.50/ft2.
These costs include materials, installation,
and basic preparation [5]. The incremen-
tal cost of adding a cool roof coating to a
traditional roof is less than $0.20/ft2. Table
2 compares cool roofing costs to traditional
roofing [8].

Table 2: Traditional and Cool Roof Options

for Low-Slope Roofs
Traditional Roof Cool Roof
Type Reflectance Emittance Cost ($/ft2) Type Reflectance Emittance Cost ($/ft2)
BUR 1.2 - 2.1 BUR 1.2 - 2.15
w/ dark gravel 0.08 - 0.15 0.80 - 0.90 w/ white gravel 0.30 - 0.50 0.80 - 0.90
w/ smooth asphalt, 0.04 - 0.05 0.85 - 0.95 w/ gravel and cementi- 0.50 - 0.70 0.80 - 0.90
surface 0.25 - 0.60 0.20 - 0.50 tious 0.75 - 0.85 0.85 - 0.95
Single-Ply 1.0 - 2.0 Single-Ply 1.0 - 2.05
black (EPDM, CPE, CSPE, white (EPDM, CPE,
PVC 0.04 - 0.05 0.85 - 0.95 CSPE, PVC 0.70 - 0.78 0.85 - 0.95
gray EPDM 0.15 - 0.20 0.85 - 0.95
Modified Bitumen 1.5 - 1.9 Modified Bitumen 1.5 - 1.95
w/ mineral surface white coating over a
capsheet (SBS, APP) 0.10 - 0.20 0.85 - 0.95 mineral surface 0.60 - 0.75 0.85 - 0.95

Steep-Slope Roof Options

Given that low-rise residential buildings ceptable. Homeowners, however, have not
account for more than sixty percent of adopted the cool-roof approach because
the roof area in California [10], and that they typically prefer the aesthetics of darker
steep-slope roofs may be included in the colors for their steep-slope roofs. Solar
2008 Title 24 update, consideration of the reflectance of traditional steep-slope roof
electricity usage of the residential sector be- materials ranges from 0.05 – 0.3 [11].
comes increasingly important. Steep-slope
Relatively few products on the market
cool roof considerations will thus be briefly
qualify as a cool steep-slope roofing
discussed here.
materials at this point. However, some
Traditional steep-slope roofing prevalently manufacturers have developed dark-colored
uses asphalt shingles, followed by metal pigments for roofing materials that reflect
roofs, concrete tiles, clay tiles, slate, and sunlight instead of absorbing it. These
wood. These roofs mostly appear in dark pigments are now being used in coatings
colors. Most of today’s cool roofs have a for metal roofs, in clay and concrete tiles,
light-colored surface that commercial facili- and in the multi-colored granules of which
ties with flat or low-slope roofs find ac- shingles are comprised. The tiles with

www.energydesignresources.com 13
 coatings made from cool-colored pigments and temperature have a significant impact
look similar to conventional tiles, but they on long-term performance. Generally,
offer improved solar reflectance values. manufacturers and roofing consultants
The steep-slope non-white roof can have a have the ability to select materials and
solar reflectance around 40% or 50%, but product formulations based upon known
that is not sufficient to qualify it as a cool local conditions.
roof under the 2005 Title 24 standards
At present, Title 24 requires initial mini-
[11]. The overall envelope approach or the
mum values (only) for solar reflectance
performance approach can be used to allow
and thermal emittance. In the cool roof
this kind of roof to be used to achieve Title
rulemaking, a degradation allowance for
24 compliance. In future updates of Title
performance was included: that is, in
24, a separate definition of “cool roof ”
determining cost-effectiveness, the CEC
applicable to steep slope buildings—a
assumed a long-term solar reflectance value
definition with a much lower reflectance
of 0.55, rather than a nominal value of
requirement—could be considered.
0.70, in calculating energy savings over the
life of the product. For minimally-compli-
ant materials rated at 0.70, this reduction
Long-Term Performance is about 21%; for materials initially rated at
0.80, this reduction amounts to about 31%
Cool roofs, like traditional ones, will suffer degradation. This approach is expected to
weathering and wear. Over time, the solar be conservative based upon extant research.
reflectance will gradually degrade. Various Once three-year values become available
studies show that a cool roof can lose up to based on the CRRC rating program, the
30% of its reflectance over a period of two CRRC database will include both initial
years, although considerably less degrada- and three year values for solar reflectance
tion is typical for most materials [10]. and thermal emittance.
The consensus view based on a number of
research findings is that the largest portion Washing a cool roof can effectively restore
of the reflectance loss happens relatively its performance, but the cost of wash-
quickly, such that most of the ultimate ing could be higher than the value of the
long-term loss occurs within the first year energy savings. “Self-cleaning” roofing
or two. products show promise for maintenance of
surfaces.

Generally, the main factors which contrib-

ute to the degradation are dirt pick-up and
biological growth (including mildew and
algae). Contributing factors include mate-
rial properties such as surface smoothness
and the degree to which the material itself
is a suitable substrate for biological growth.
It is worth noting that physical deteriora-
tion of the roofing material is generally
not a leading contributor to the loss of
radiative performance.Various macro- and
micro-climatic conditions related to the
presence of ambient particulate (such as
dust and pollutants), humidity, rainfall,

14 COOL ROOF • Design Brief

Cool Roofing Examples

Listed below are cool roof project sum-

maries that can be utilized by building
owners, architects, energy consultants, and
contractors as examples of successful new
construction and re-roofing applications.

Example 1:
Re-roof (Coating) Application

Location: Davis, California

Figure 8: Kaiser Medical Building, Davis, CA
Floor Area: 31,000 ft2, one story
Application: Medical office building
Owner: Kaiser Permanente
Heating/cooling System Type: AC
Existing Roof Type: light gray capsheet
(reflectance 24%)
Roof Insulation: R8
Cool Roof Type: white reflective paint
coating (reflectance 60%)
Capital Cost: $0.20/ft2 or less
Indoor Temperature: 75°F
Electricity Savings: monitored 1094 kWh/
day to 915 kWh/day
Normalized energy savings: 198 kWh/day,
18% savings
Simple payback: 31000*$0.20/(198*260
*0.1)=1.2 years. Such fast payback is not
typical for cool roof projects, however.
Source: LBNL Heat Island demonstration
project, 1996-1997

www.energydesignresources.com 15
 Example 2:
New Construction Application

Location: Rockford, Minneapolis

Floor Area: 50,000 ft2
Application: Combined commercial office,
manufacturing plant, and test facility
Owner: TTJK, LLC
Roof Contractor: Elastomeric Roofing
Systems, Inc.
Figure 9: Cool Roof Application with Rooftop Garden and
Solar Panels (Note: the roof surfaces containing the rooftop gar- Garden Roof: 5,000 ft2 prairie garden roof
den and the solar panels do not constitute part of the cool roof ) (exclusive of the cool roof area)
Cool Roof Type: 40,000 ft2 white reflective
coating (reflectance 85%)
Solar Array: 5 kW net-metered photovol-
taic array on roof top generates about 5800
kWh/yr
Electricity Savings: 15% due to high-reflec-
tive roof
Cost: $50/ft2 (total new construction)
Source: EDC Magazine, April 2005

16 COOL ROOF • Design Brief

For More Information

• Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC): www.coolroofs.org

• CRRC-Rated Product Directory: www.coolroofs.org/ratedproducsdirectory.html
• Title 24: www.energy.ca.gov/title24
• Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Heat Island Research Group, http://eetd.lbl.
gov/HeatIsland/PROJECTS/
• Oakridge National Laboratory, Building Technology Center, Building Envelopes Pro-
gram, http://www.ornl.gov/sci/roofs+walls/
• Environmental Design + Construction, http://www.edcmag.com/CDA/Articles/Cool_
Roof
• Cool Roof Workshop at Pacific Energy Center, 2005. Dr. Lisa Gartland,
http://207.67.203.54/p40007staff/opac/index.asp
• U.S. Green Building Council LEED credits: http://www.usgbc.com
• EERE energy simulation programs: http://www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/tools_direc-
tory/.

Acknowledgments

Energy Design Resources provides information and design tools to architects, engineers,
lighting designers, and building owners and developers. Energy Design Resources is funded
by California utility customers and administered by Pacific Gas and Electric Company, San
Diego Gas and Electric, and Southern California Edison under the auspices of the Califor-
nia Public Utilities Commission. To learn more about Energy Design Resources, please visit
the Web site at www.energydesignresources.com.
This design brief was prepared for Energy Design Resources by Nexant, Inc., San Francisco,
CA. The authors cordially thank Dr. Lisa Gartland, PositivEnergy, and Mr. Peter Turnbull,
PG&E.

www.energydesignresources.com 17
 References

1. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Heat Island Projects, http://eetd.lbl.gov/

HeatIsland/PROJECTS/
2. http://www.energy.ca.gov/electricity/consumption_by_sector.html
3. Commercial Building End-use Survey Report. Itron. March 2006.
4. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Heat Island Projects (Cool Roofing
Materials Database) http://eetd.lbl.gov/CoolRoofs/
5. Cool Roof Workshop, Lisa Gartland, Pacific Energy Center, San Francisco,
September 27, 2005.
6. Reducing Life Cycle Costs with Coatings, Paul Beemer, Roofing, Siding, Insulation,
July 1, 2002.
7. Cool Surfaces and Shade Trees to Reduce Energy Use and Improve Air Quality in
Urban Areas, Akbari, H., M. Pomerantz, and H. Taha. Solar Energy 70(3):
295-310, 2001.
8. Inclusion of Cool Roofs in Nonresidential Title 24 Prescriptive Requirements, LBNL
Report 50451, Ronnen Levinson, Hashem Akbari, Steve Konopacki, and Sarah Bretz,
Heat Island Group, Environmental Energy Technologies Division, Lawrence Berkeley
National Laboratory, December, 2002.
9. Mitigation of Urban Heat Islands: Material, Utility Programs, Updates. Rosenfeld, A.,
H. Akbari, S. Bretz, B. Fishman, D. Kurn, D. Sailor, and H. Taha. Energy and
Buildings 22: 255-265, 1995.
10. High Albedo (Cool) Roofs, Codes and Standards Enhancement (CASE) Study, Pacific
Gas and Electric Company, November 17, 2000.
11. Cool Roofs and Title 24: Now and 2008, Peter Turnbull, Cool Roof Rating Council
Presentation for CSI.

18 COOL ROOF • Design Brief