Fact. A highly reflective roof covering can reduce summer time rooftop temperatures 100° F. or more (source: EPA). This translates to immediate savings inside. But beware of wolves wearing a sheepskin coat. Your first and primary reason for buying roof coating for economics should be roof maintenance. That offers more certainty. So, choose a roof coating carefully, looking at all features and benefits. Under roof savings can be influenced so much by activities within the building (heat generating), area of windows relative to roofing, window and even building/roof orientation – that predicting savings is less accurate than predicting benefits of extending roof life. West or southerly exposure makes buildings warmer. All else equal, choose the coating with the energy saving pedigree. It delivers more bang for your buck, and also aids in controlling future roof maintenance needs.

The EPA recognizes roofing that is capable of producing the best energy savings returns by awarding the product with the Energy Star® designation (http://www.epa.gov/hiri/strategies/coolroofs.html). Energy Star® roofing is established as capable of providing typically 10-15% utility savings during the hottest months by reducing peak energy usage.  They estimate it can save up to 50% based upon reducing air-conditioning requirements in certain conditions where a/c need is marginal. This is determined totally by reflectivity. So beware of mystery ingredients promising special powers. Usually the supplier somewhere divulges that these powers only apply to “white”.

Unfortunately companies have misrepresented products as complying with Energy Star® – and the program, while dutiful in requiring tests results to be submitted, has no ability to verify results of submitted products submitted. Also, companies knowingly or not may modify their products, and not update their Energy Star® compliance although they maintain use of the logo.

As a consequence, formidable bodies such as the California state government have required (by law) that all products have CRRC™ Cool Roof Rating Council approval before any coating or roofing is used (anywhere in the state). CRRC does require that independent lab tests be submitted using only approved labs. But buyers beware. Be certain that the CRRC reference you receive from your supplier is the product’s approval and not just a supplier’s “membership” with CRRC. Membership costs little and does NOT represent product approval. Those with a “membership” can display the CRRC logo but it must be the one showing “Member” below it. They can be listed as members on the site, but product approval is a separate matter. Product approval by CRRC is guarded closely by CRRC and conforming suppliers agree to random product testing.