Celebrating 25 Years of the Cool Roof Rating Council

By Audrey McGarrell, Cool Roof Rating Council.

This June, the Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC) will be celebrating 25 years as a member-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

The CRRC was established in 1998 through a collaboration of stakeholders, including government agencies, nonprofit advocacy organizations, energy utilities, national laboratories and numerous members of the roofing industry. The primary purpose of the organization was to create a third-party rating system for the radiative properties of roofing materials that the state of California could rely on for compliance and enforcement of the cool roof provisions that were eventually adopted into California’s Energy Code (Title 24, Part 6). The CRRC’s evolution since its founding is chronicled in this 2018 video celebrating the organization’s 20th anniversary. 

Over the years, the development and maintenance of the state-of-the-art CRRC Roof Product Rating Program for the solar reflectance and thermal emittance of roofing materials and the corresponding Rated Roof Products Directory have been the CRRC’s most well-known accomplishments. The rating program provides free, third-party verified data to anyone seeking to learn more about the cooling potential of product options or to comply with codes, programs and/or standards. In addition to being referenced by California, the program helps users demonstrate compliance with numerous other codes, standards and green building programs, such as LEED and the International Energy Conservation Code. The CRRC Ratings, Codes, and Standards Committee promotes the adoption of references to CRRC programs and standards in various codes and programs.  

The Roof Program is overseen by the CRRC Board of Directors, which relies on the recommendations made by the CRRC Technical Committee – a diverse body of subject matter experts including roofing product manufacturers, suppliers and associations; acclaimed researchers in the cool roofing space; accredited testing laboratories and test farms; and government agencies. Throughout the CRRC’s history, these experts have supported the development of rigorous test methods for evaluating the radiative properties of all types of roofing materials. They have shepherded many of these methods through the ASTM Standard development process and/or incorporation into the American National Standard maintained by the CRRC (ANSI/CRRC S100). This committee has also conducted extensive technical research studies to evaluate and improve testing and program requirements over the years. 

In 2022, the CRRC rolled out a brand-new rating program for exterior wall materials. This program supports compliance with a growing list of policies and programs that promote the use of cool exterior walls, and is supported by another committee of industry and scientific experts. 

In addition to its technical accomplishments, the CRRC also has a mandate to conduct education around reducing the urban heat island (UHI) effect, increasing building energy efficiency, improving occupant comfort, and mitigating the global climate effects of greenhouse gas emissions. In 2021, the CRRC created an Education Committee that is responsible for developing and disseminating educational materials. Since its creation, this committee has been prolific in creating high-quality resources spanning explainers of UHI mitigation and energy savings, a professional continuing education course and the creation of a program to authorize and equip CRRC members with conducting education and outreach on the organization’s behalf, just to name a few. Examples of this committee’s work are available here. 

The CRRC membership has grown in size and diversity since the founding of the organization 25 years ago. The CRRC offers membership to any organization or individual interested in roofing, exterior wall products, energy efficiency, building enclosures, urban heat island mitigation, green building design, climate resilience and/or any related fields. Current members include manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, contractors, consultants, non-profit groups, government agencies, educational institutions, government agencies, testing facilities, weathering services, energy utility companies, trade associations and interested individuals. These are the subject matter experts who serve on the CRRC’s various committees and Board of Directors.  

One of the highlights of the CRRC’s activities is the CRRC Annual Meeting, which is an opportunity for the CRRC’s wide array of stakeholders to network and socialize, learn about the organization’s current activities, participate in the annual Board election, and hear from exceptional guest speakers, including leading cool surface innovators, researchers, policymakers and advocates.  

This year, the CRRC Annual Meeting will be on Wednesday, June 14, 2023 at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. CRRC members and non-members alike are invited to attend the event and can register by visiting: https://coolroofs.org/membership/annual-membership-meeting.  

The 2023 guest speaker lineup includes Charlotte Steiner (Natural Resources Defense Council), discussing cool roof efforts in India, Dr. Xiulin Ruan (Purdue University), presenting on the breakthrough invention of a new ultra-white paint, and Chris Kuykendall (Mule-Hide Products), sharing about Mule-Hide’s collaboration with Coors Light on the novel “Chillboards” campaign, which draws attention to the benefits of cool roofing. In addition to educational presentations, attendees can also look forward to a hosted cocktail reception following the meeting. The reception will feature complimentary food and drinks, as well as unique raffle prizes local to Oregon, where the CRRC is headquartered.  

To learn more about the CRRC and the CRRC Annual Meeting, visit coolroofs.org or contact info@coolroofs.org.