The word is out. Cool roofs are in!
Cool roofs absorb less heat and reflect more sunlight than standard roofs.
A cool roof can stay 50 degrees cooler, which will lower your air conditioning bill and keep your customers cooler, for less money.
Plus, when you decrease your roof’s temperature, you’ll inevitably extend your roof’s service life.
And you don’t have to replace your entire roof to make it cool; almost any roof can become a cool roof.
In addition to the fact that it’ll make your building cooler, there are so many benefits of having a cool roof for your commercial property.
Keep reading to uncover 8 of those amazing benefits to making your roof cool.
What Are Cool Roofs?
Many roofs in the United States are poorly designed. They are built with non-reflective, dark, heat-absorbing materials.
Because of these materials, roof temperatures can rise significantly higher than the actual air temperature. This results in higher indoor and outdoor temperatures, high mortality rates from overheating, and higher energy bills, amongst other things.
In cities, “heat islands” are particularly prevalent, especially in those warmer months.
Cool roofs help to fight those heat islands and lower those high temperatures and energy bills.
Depending on the type of roof, there are different techniques for making that roof “cool.”
But what it does is increase the reflective properties of the roof and lowering its tendency to absorb heat.
Let’s take a look at those significant benefits of making your roof a cool one.
1. It’ll Reduce Your Energy Bill
The purpose of a cool roof is to reflect the sun’s rays and absorb less heat. Cool roofing materials result in having to spend less money on air conditioning as your building absorbs so much less heat.
As a result of having to use your HVAC less, you’ll inevitably reduce your energy bill by as much as 20%.
Plus, a lot of businesses pay a “demand charge.” That charge is based on their maximum monthly use of electricity. These fees add up, but cool roofs have shown to cut these hidden energy costs significantly, especially for commercial businesses.
2. It’ll Improve Comfort in Spaces that Don’t Have AC
Whether it’s a garage, a covered patio, or a storage space, many buildings have rooms that don’t reap the benefits of AC.
With a cool roof, those rooms will be much more enjoyable. Even though they don’t have AC, they’ll inevitably be cooler with the addition of a cool roof.
3. It’ll Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
What’s better than being a business owner who people respect? And what’s smarter than being a company who cares about the environment?
With a cool roof, your business will reduce its energy consumption.
By reducing the cooling energy in your commercial space, you’ll contribute to the reduction of power plant emissions like carbon dioxide, mercury, nitrous oxides, and sulfur dioxide.
4. It’ll Help Save Lives During a Heat Wave
Did you know that heat kills more people every year than natural disasters?
As temperatures rise, so do dangerous emergencies as a result of people overheating.
Installing a cool roof in your building could help save lives as it will make the daytime weather more tolerable.
5. It Will Strengthen the Electric Grid
Cool roofs help to alleviate the strain on the electric grid during hot summer days. Excess demand for AC and electricity can lead to blackouts and brownouts. Service interruptions cost businesses millions of dollars in ruined productivity every year.
Excess urban heat causes peak electricity demand for AC. Even the smallest change in temperature can make a huge difference as it pertains to energy demand. Cool roofs help to reduce that excess urban heat.
6. It’ll Improve Health
Heat worsens a variety of medical conditions, like respiratory, cardiopulmonary, and renal diseases.
Cooler temperatures inside a business will help to stop heat from making those conditions worse.
Plus, cooler temperatures make better atmospheres for exercise, picnics, and spending time outdoors with friends and family.
7. It’ll Improve Air Quality
This one goes hand in hand with reducing the carbon footprint. A cool roof will also help improve air quality.
Because fewer pollutants are being emitted into the atmosphere with cool roofing materials, overall air quality will surely improve.
Especially in urban, cool roofs provide healthier breathing conditions for the communities and the population as a whole.
8. You’ll Improve Company Morale
When employees respect their employer, they’re happier at work. If you show your employees that you care about the air they breathe and the pollutants that you put out into the environment, they’ll be more apt to feel proud about the place in which they work.
If you do decide to make your roof cool, take the time to educate your employees and get them excited about this smart innovation. That excitement will trickle down to your customers and will improve the overall reputation of your commercial business.
Are you worried your roof’s leak might stop you from making your roof cool? Here are some potential causes for a leaking roof.
Get a Cool Roof for Your Business and Save Money
Cool roofs are better for the environment as they reduce fossil fuels and harmful toxins in the environment.
A cool roof will require your HVAC to work less. This will inevitably lower your energy bill and prolong the life of your unit.
Employees are happier when they stand by who they work for. As a company who is concerned about the environment and the health of those around it, morale will be better amongst employees and clients alike.
