Tag: sustainable design

A new graphic drawn by Ed Hawkins, a climate scientist at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom.

I don’t know where the expression “dog days of summer” came from, but regardless…it’s HOT!

I grew up in the desert where we had an annual timed event around the anticipated hottest day of the year: cooking an egg on the sidewalk. Yes, they did cook…and it didn’t take too long. You can Google it!

Growing up in a hot climate we learned survival skills quickly. Shade is your friend. Reflection can be your friend too – as long as you’re not in a frying pan. As climate change deniers still exist (smh), one basic scientific fact remains – reflecting solar rays = cooler buildings. Consider cool roofs.

What is a cool roof?

“A cool roof is one that has been designed to reflect more sunlight and absorb less heat than a standard roof. Cool roofs can be made of a highly reflective type of paint, a sheet covering, or highly reflective tiles or shingles.

-US Dept. of Energy

According to the US Department of Energy, the benefits of installing a cool roof will:

• Reduce annual airconditioning energy use of a singlestory building by up to 15%
• Cool interior spaces, making occupants more comfortable
• Reduce carbon emissions by lowering the need for fossil-fuel generated electricity to run air conditioner

Not to mention the potential of slowing global warming – because of the reduced fossil fuel use and all that it takes to retrieve it, refine it and burn it.

You can read more about cool roofs on the DOE website at http://energy.gov/energysaver/cool-roofs. They even have a nifty calculator to see your savings in actual numbers.

If your calling to book your roofer now, there may be things you should consider first. Things like the current life of your roof,  where you live, and planning  for future solar are considerations help you evaluate your ROI. Need more help? Contact us.