Cool Roof Resource Guide for Federal Agencies
Photovoltaics sit on the "cool roof" of the Environmental Protection Agency's Research Triangle Park facility.
The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) assembled this list of "cool roof" resources to help Federal energy managers learn more about cool roof technologies and how they can be deployed. Many types of sustainable roofs exist, including white roofs, green roofs, and roofs with solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and/or solar hot water systems. The performance of a sustainable roof technology can often be optimized if it is integrated with a different sustainable roof technology. For example, the efficiency of a PV system often improves when it is placed above a cool roof.
Cool roofs strongly reflect sunlight (have high "solar reflectance") and efficiently emit thermal radiation (have high "thermal emittance"). By cooling the roof and reducing heat transfer into the building, cool roofs reduce the cooling load of the facility's heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system thereby saving energy and money while minimizing greenhouse gas emissions.
While cool roofs often reduce cooling loads caused by solar gains on the building roof, it is important to conduct modeling to ensure optimum results. Cool roofs may increase energy consumption in high-altitude or northern-latitude areas. FEMP recommends Federal agencies conduct site-specific modeling during the cool roof assessment phase.
Some of the following documents are available as Adobe Acrobat PDFs. Download Acrobat Reader.
Technology Overview
The following resources provide descriptive overviews of cool roof technologies:
-
Cool Roof Questions and Answers (PDF 244 KB): Answers to common questions on cool roof technologies and deployments prepared by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
-
Potential Benefits of Cool Roofs on Commercial Buildings: Conserving Energy, Saving Money, and Reducing Emissions of Greenhouse Gasses and Air Pollutants: Article in the journal Energy Efficiency detailing the energy and environmental benefits of cool roofs written by Ronnen Levinson and Hashem Akbari.
-
Cool Roofs will Revolutionize the Building Industry (PDF 119 KB): Fact sheet on cool roof applications within the building industry prepared by Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Buying Guide
Workers install a white roof in Atlanta, Georgia.
The following buying guides provide instructions for the Federal procurement of cool roof technologies:
-
FEMP Energy-Efficient Products: How to Buy Energy-Efficient Cool Roof Products (PDF 72 KB): Fact sheet containing Federal agency guidelines for buying cool roof products to save operating costs and energy.
-
ENERGY STAR® Reflective Roof Products for Consumers: Overview of reflective roof products as defined and qualified by the ENERGY STAR program.
Federal Applications
-
Visitor Center and Administration Headquarters at the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge in Sherwood, Oregon: You Have the Power campaign description of projects implemented by the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge to save energy and money.
-
2008 Federal Energy and Water Management Award Winners: General Services Administration (GSA) and Department of Interior (DOI): The GSA's Frederick C. Murphy Federal Center and the DOI's Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge received honors for implementing cool roof projects.
-
2007 Federal Energy Saver Showcase Award Winners: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Interior: The EPA's Virginia offices and the DOI's Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge featured cool roof technologies and received Federal showcase honors.
Additional Information
The following resources provide additional information on cool roof technologies and deployment activities:
-
FEMP Focus Summer 2008 Issue (PDF 1.9 MB): FEMP newsletter covering energy efficiency and renewable energy strategies, tactics, and technologies to meet Federal energy management goals.
-
Emerging Technologies for Energy Savings Performance Contracting (ESPCs) in the Federal Sector (PDF 422 KB): Report developed for FEMP by the Alliance to Save Energy with energy-saving technology recommendations for ESPC or utility energy services contracts financed Federal facility retrofits.
-
Selling Energy-Efficient Products to the Federal Government (PDF 808 KB): Reference guide providing basic information on how to do business with Federal agencies regarding energy-efficient products.
Resource Links
The following links provide additional sources for cool roof information:
- Cool Roof Rating Council
- Radiation Control Calculators: Building Envelopes Program; Oak Ridge National Laboratory
- Cool Roofs: Consumer Energy Center; California Energy Commission
- Cool Roofs: Heat Island Effect; Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Contacts
For additional information, contact:
Cyrus Nasseri
U.S. Department of Energy
Federal Energy Management Program
202-586-9138
cyrus.nasseri@ee.doe.gov
Mathew G. Gray
U.S. Department of Energy
Federal Energy Management Program
202-586-0067
mathew.gray@ee.doe.gov