San Jose / Sacramento California News – For some time our friends at Dinyari Inc. in San Jose have been saying that cool roofs on commercial buildings save mega money and now the federal government is also saying it. Solar and cool roofs go together on commercial building because the materials used is not only top quality, but environmentally friendly, non-toxic and white roofs are low voc made in the United States with renewable resources. It does not get much better than that. All you architects and building owners take note. Read More
From, US Department of Energy Blog
Roofs and road pavement cover 50 to 65 percent of urban areas. Because they absorb so much heat, dark-colored roofs and roadways create what is called the “urban heat island effect,” where a city is significantly warmer than its surrounding rural areas. Light colored roofs or “cool roofs” significantly reduce the heat island effect and improve air quality by reducing emissions. This is because lighter-colored roofing surfaces reflect more of the sun’s heat, which helps to improve building efficiency by reducing cooling costs and offsetting carbon emissions. A recent study by researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California bay area found that using cool roofs and cool pavements in cities around the world can help reduce the demand for air conditioning, cool entire cities, and potentially cancel the heating effect of up to two years of worldwide carbon dioxide emissions.
Most importantly, cool roofs can help residential homes and commercial businesses save significantly on air conditioning bills. Remember, cool roofs typically cost the same or less than other traditional roofing products, often making it a no-brainer to select cool roof products when it comes time to replace your roof or when building a new home – especially if you live in a warm climate.
As part of the effort to move towards a more sustainable future, Secretary Chu has directed all DOE offices to install cool roofs, whenever cost effective over the lifetime of the roof, when constructing new roofs or replacing old ones at DOE commercial government facilities. With cool roofs, these commercial federal buildings will consume less energy, offset additional carbon emissions, and save taxpayers money.
“Cool roofs are one of the quickest and lowest cost ways we can reduce our global carbon emissions and begin the hard work of slowing climate change,” said Secretary Chu. “By demonstrating the benefits of cool roofs on our large commercial facilities, the federal government can lead the nation toward more sustainable building practices, while reducing the federal carbon footprint and saving money for taxpayers.”
The Secretary has also issued a letter to the heads of other federal agencies, encouraging them to take similar steps at their facilities. To assist in their efforts, DOE has released a document detailing the Guidelines for Selecting Cool Roofs. This document is a strong starting point for anyone who is considering implementing a residential cool roof, at both the homeowner and commercial level. You can also find information about Energy Star cool roofing products on EnergyStar.gov.
About Dinyari – Located in San Jose California, Dinyari Incorporated specializes in commercial cool roof systems. Dinyari roofing systems are environmentally friendly, save energy, and are backed by warrantees from manufacturers.
About Blue Pacific Solar – Located in Sacramento California representing Suns Up Solar’s division of Putt Construction for commercial photovoltaic roof and ground mount arrays. Putt Construction holds CSLB C10 & B General Contracting license.