Feeling down about the amount of energy it takes to power your small business? New energy efficient technology is giving small business owners a reason to look up—literally. Savvy business owners are utilizing the power of cool roofs to combat high energy prices while reaping additional benefits. Learn more about cool roofs and how it can help your business cut costs and save energy.
What is a Cool Roof?
Similar to how wearing light-colored clothing can help keep you cool on a sunny day, cool roof materials are designed to reflect sunlight and absorb less heat than a standard roof. A cool roof is a roofing system that has a greater ability to reflect the visible, infrared, and ultraviolet wavelengths of the sun and radiate absorbed non-reflected solar energy. This helps reduce the amount of heat that is then transferred to the building.
Cool roofs are typically either white or some other lighter, reflective color. Small business owners have the option to either install a new roof or make an existing roof cool with a coating that’s similar to a thick paint.
Benefits of Cool Roofs
When compared to traditional roofing systems, there are many benefits of installing a cool roof. Most roofs are dark-colored, which means they can get very hot in the summer. In the heat of the full sun, a black roof can reach temperatures up to 190⁰F, which can contribute to:
- Increased energy use for cooling systems, like fans, central air conditioning, and window air conditioning units.
- Higher utility bills to power cooling systems in the summer, especially when electricity prices peak in the late afternoon.
- Faster deterioration of roofing materials, increased roof maintenance costs, and greater roofing waste in landfills.
For small business owners, cool roofs can be the solution to all of the above. Benefits of a cool roof include:
- Reduced energy use. Cool roofs transfer less heat to the building below, which can result in reduced energy usage and urban island heat effect.
- Reduced air pollution. Lower energy usage means cool roofs can decrease power plant emissions like carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxides, and mercury as well as greenhouse gas emissions.
- Lower utility bills. Because the building stays cooler, there is less need for fans and air conditioning, which results in lower utility bills.
- Longer lifespan. While you typically have to replace a cedar roof every 20 years, cool roofs can enhance roof durability, as it suffers from less sun damage.
- Greater comfort. Because of the reduced temperatures inside the building, cool roofs can help prevent illnesses like heat exhaustion, heat cramps, and heat stroke.
Making changes to your roofing system can make a big difference to your energy bills; however, the upfront cost to install a cool roof is typically more than standard materials. Need financing to help your small business become more energy efficient? NOPEC’s PACE loan program allows commercial property owners to finance energy efficiency and renewable energy improvement projects by offering low interest rates. Learn more about the benefits of a PACE loan, so you can stay cool and save on energy costs this summer.
