Sunny outlooks: The benefits of cool roofing systems for energy efficiency

By Anna Lockhart.  

Cool roof systems can help building owners maximize energy savings and sustainable efforts! 

When it comes to keeping a building cool, brands like Beacon Building Products know one of the great ways to keep the heat at bay is through installing a cool roofing system! Cool roof systems help reduce the energy used in keeping a building cool throughout the year by reflecting the sunlight and heat away from the building.  

These roofing systems are often light in color, as lighter colors better reflect sunlight, while darker colors absorb and retain it and the subsequent heat. This is due to the system’s solar reflectance, which allows it to reflect and release heat, keeping itself cool.  

The standard roofing systems can get to an average of 150 degrees on a warm day, which can quickly eat up energy needed to counteract within the structure. Meanwhile, cool roofing systems can be 50 degrees cooler on the same day in comparison!  

There are many cool roofing options on the market for commercial building owners to consider, such as light-colored asphalt shingles, metal panels with cool coatings or even concrete tiles that have been coated with a light-colored polymer or slurry. Even low-slope commercial roofs can find cool roofing systems like light-colored membranes and spray polyurethane foams.  

Not only do cool roofs help building owners maximize their energy efficiency, but they can help extend the lifespan of the roof and lower the costs needed to maintain cooling systems! 

Learn more about cool roofing systems and why you should consider them for your next commercial roofing project!