What Is a Cool Roof?

Cool roofs reflect and emit the suns heat instead of absorb it. By reflecting the heat of the sun instead of absorbing it, they keep buildings cooler and reduce the amount of energy needed to cool them. Coolness is measured by two properties: solar reflectance and thermal emittance. Both properties are measured from 0 to 1; the higher the value, the cooler the roof. What makes one roofing material cooler than another? When a roof can deliver high solar reflectance, and high thermal emittance, it is considered a cool roof. Reflective roofing technologies are increasingly included in federal, state and local energy codes. Many opportunities exist in both new construction and re-roofing to install cool roofs and other energy-improvement options METAL ROOFING Metal roofing benefits the environment and your wallet. Metal roofs are energy efficient, sustainable, durable and recyclable. Reflective in nature, metal roofs inhibit a building from absorbing heat during the day, yet they allow hea ... more

Cool roofs are highly reflective and emissive materials that stay 50 to 60 degrees F cooler in the summer sun, thereby reducing energy costs, improving occupant comfort, cutting maintenance costs, increasing the life cycle of the roof, and contributing to the reduction of urban heat islands and associated smog. ... more

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. ... more

A cool roof is one that reflects the sun’s heat and emits absorbed radiation back into the atmosphere. The roof literally stays cooler and reduces the amount of heat transferred to the building below, keeping the building a cooler and more constant temperature. Imagine wearing a white or a black T-shirt on a hot day. By wearing the white T-shirt you will remain cooler than if you wore a black T-shirt because it reflects more sunlight and absorbs less heat. Cool roofs like a white T-shirt, keep the internal temperature of the building cooler. However, a cool roof need not be white. There are many “cool color” products which use darker-colored pigments that are highly reflective in the near infrared (non-visible) portion of the solar spectrum. With “cool color” technologies there are roofs that come in a wide variety of colors and still maintain a high solar reflectance. The two basic characteristics that determine the ‘coolness’ of a roof are solar reflectance (SR) and thermal emittance ... more

A “cool roof” comes in many shapes and forms. At Nations Roof we are certified by all major manufacturers and will create the best cool roof system for your facility with the longest life cycle. Note that what appears to be the cheapest system up front is not always the least expensive in the long run. Many states are now enacting energy standards related to the building’s roof system. California, Chicago, Florida and Arizona are just a few states that have enacted more stringent energy standards when it comes to your building’s roof systems. WHAT MAKES A COOL ROOF DIFFERENT? All roofing materials have what is known as reflectance / reflectivity and emissivity. A cool roof is one that will both reflect the light and UV rays from the sun while also retaining very little heat. A cool roof is highly reflective and highly emissive and will retain these physical properties for the life of its installation. WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH TRADITIONAL ROOFS OF THE PAST? The traditional asphalt roof ... more