A cool roof is one that radiates heat back into the atmosphere rather than allowing it to be absorbed.

You might ask, how important is it to have a cool roof on your commercial building? A cool roof contributes to a cooler building. It reduces solar green house effects, extends the sustainability and lifetime of your roofing materials by greatly reducing thermal induced movement, eliminates UV attack and can lower peak energy demand – just for starters!

How much heat reduction is possible? According to the U.S. Department of Energy, some reflective roof products can lower roof surface temperature by up to 100° F (50°C) and can reduce peak cooling demand by as much as 15%. It is not uncommon for a roof’s temperature to drop to within 2° of ambient temperature after Topps Seal® is installed.

Roof pitch, solar orientation, slope, building materials, air conditioning equipment efficiency, equipment maintenance, insulation – all are factors and variables that impact potential energy savings. As well, one must be aware of what generates heat from within – window openings, lighting, wiring, equipment operations and even times of building operations. There is no true “energy savings calculator” – it is impossible to accurately predict the actual savings to cooling due to what’s on top of your roof. It does not mean though that your coating is not cooling.

Topps, an Energy Star® Partner has done independent research on energy savings before and after complete roof restoration with Topps Seal. A furniture store in Tennessee experienced a 24.5% savings after application. A church in the same sate reported a 12.7% savings. Both were based upon actual kWh usage provided by the utility companies for their peak use before and one year after application. The average ambient temperature for the month was 1° higher the year following application.

More Cool Roof Q & A in our next post!