February 26, 2023 at 9:00 a.m.
By Sarah Schneider, CRRC.
How third-party scores inform the shopper and have an effect on the state of our world setting.
Knowledgeable facility managers acknowledge the advantages of extremely reflective roofing supplies, often known as “cool roofs.” These cool roofs scale back power use which, in flip, reduces power value whereas rising the occupant’s consolation. It’s possible that managers may know of the impacts cool roofs have in mitigating the city warmth island (UHI) impact and the way these roofs can enhance air high quality.
What managers might not perceive is the position third-party ranking programs play in understanding the radiative efficiency (or power effectivity) of a specific roofing materials. They could additionally not know how you can determine cool roof merchandise within the market.
The worth of third-party product scores
Within the context of cool roofs, a third-party product ranking informs shoppers concerning the product’s capacity to scale back photo voltaic warmth acquire — the quantity of warmth that enters the constructing by way of the roof floor. The ranking is predicated on radiative property information measured by an accredited unbiased testing laboratory, which is then verified and printed by one other third celebration. A 3rd celebration could also be a authorities company, nonprofit group or one other kind of entity that isn’t affiliated with the manufacturing or distribution of roofing merchandise.
Third-party scores give assurance to shoppers that the info are credible and correct. The info are obtained by way of consensus requirements and industry-vetted check strategies, and validated by way of high quality assurance mechanisms. That is why third-party scores are extensively utilized by authorities companies and power utilities within the improvement, compliance and enforcement of insurance policies and packages that require or promote the usage of cool roofing supplies.
There have solely been two sources in the USA for third-party radiative efficiency information of roofing merchandise: the U.S. Environmental Safety Company (EPA), which licensed roofing merchandise by way of the ENERGY STAR® program, and the Cool Roof Ranking Council (CRRC), which charges roofing merchandise by way of the CRRC-1 Program. With the sundown of the ENERGY STAR roofing program in June 2022, the CRRC is the general public’s solely useful resource for third-party radiative property information.
A free database of roofing merchandise
For practically 20 years, the CRRC has maintained the Rated Roof Merchandise Listing, a dependable useful resource for locating roofing merchandise primarily based on radiative efficiency. The Rated Roof Merchandise Listing accommodates over 3,000 roofing merchandise which have undergone testing, weathering and ranking in accordance with the CRRC’s strict protocols.
A CRRC product ranking is just not a certification, rating or approval of a product. It describes the radiative efficiency of the roofing materials. The “coolness” of a roof is set by two fundamental properties: photo voltaic reflectance and thermal emittance. Photo voltaic reflectance is the fraction of photo voltaic radiation mirrored away from the roof, whereas thermal emittance is the relative capacity of the roof floor to radiate warmth.
The values of each properties vary from 0 to 1. The upper the quantity, the extra reflective or emissive the product.
Along with these two metrics, the “coolness” of a roof may be represented by the Photo voltaic Reflectance Index (SRI) worth. It is a calculated metric that mixes photo voltaic reflectance and thermal emittance into one worth. An SRI worth is often between 0 and 100, with notably cool supplies exceeding 100.
Looking out the Rated Roof Merchandise Listing
The CRRC Rated Roof Merchandise Listing is supplied with highly effective and versatile search choices to rapidly determine roofing merchandise that meet quite a lot of wants, resembling:
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Slicing power prices by decreasing the necessity for air-conditioning*
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Assembly shade and materials necessities that align with a specific architectural model
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Complying with native constructing codes, ordinances or inexperienced constructing packages
*Word that the general influence of cool roof advantages might fluctuate relying on components resembling local weather zone, time of yr and power utilization patterns. Moreover, whereas optimistic impacts of implementing cool roofs may be vital, correct roof set up and upkeep are important to reaching these advantages.
The CRRC Rated Roof Merchandise Listing can also be helpful for locating merchandise which might be eligible for monetary incentives. Go to the CRRC web site for an inventory of varied cool roof incentives, rebates and loans.
Since a rising variety of native jurisdictions, states and international locations are adopting codes, ordinances, and inexperienced constructing packages that require cool roofing supplies, the CRRC Listing can also be a super useful resource for customers trying to adjust to these necessities. Go to the CRRC web site for an inventory of codes and requirements.
Cool roof codes and packages
As a result of UHI impact and the rise in excessive warmth occasions, as evidenced by final summer season’s intense and lethal warmth waves, an increasing number of cities are mandating or selling the usage of cool roofs. That is particularly prevalent in cities situated outdoors of the sunbelt, resembling Chicago, Denver, Philadelphia, Baltimore and New York Metropolis. These metropolises are in some ways extra susceptible to the impacts of warmth attributable to a scarcity of cooling infrastructure and warmth acclimation, as in comparison with traditionally sizzling cities like Phoenix and Las Vegas.
Along with cool roofs, cities are additionally taking a look at different options for addressing warmth, resembling extremely reflective pavements, inexperienced roofs and extra lately, extremely reflective exterior partitions.
Wanting towards vertical options
A examine performed by Lawrence Berkeley Nationwide Laboratory discovered that extremely reflective exterior partitions can save as a lot power as a cool roof in U.S. local weather zones 1 – 4 and in all 16 California local weather zones. Combining a cool roof with cool exterior partitions will undoubtedly improve a constructing’s total power effectivity whereas serving to to fight UHI and local weather change.
The U.S. Inexperienced Constructing Council acknowledged the position of extremely reflective partitions in decreasing city heating with the adoption of a LEED pilot credit score final April. Below LEED Model 4.1, one level is awarded for the set up of a cool exterior wall product. To realize the credit score, at the least 60% of the constructing’s gross exterior wall space (together with vertical fenestration) should be surfaced with a wall materials that has a photo voltaic reflectance of at the least 0.60 and thermal emittance of at the least 0.75.
New ranking program for partitions
Facility managers serious about exterior cool partitions can quickly seek for merchandise on-line. The CRRC launched the brand new Wall Ranking Program in January 2022. The scores can be listed within the CRRC Rated Wall Merchandise Listing and on CRRC Wall Product Labels. As a nascent program, the listing of rated merchandise is anticipated to develop over the subsequent couple of years.
The CRRC labored in shut collaboration with {industry}, authorities and different stakeholders on the event of the CRRC Wall Ranking Program. Given the rising variety of codes and packages with wall reflectance necessities and the absence of a third-party ranking system, the CRRC acknowledged the significance of making a program that will help shoppers in figuring out compliant merchandise, in addition to cities working towards local weather and warmth resilience.
Study extra about CRRC of their RoofersCoffeeShop® Listing or go to coolroofs.org.
Unique article supply: CRRC
About CRRC
The CRRC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that was established in 1998 by way of a collaboration between {industry}, authorities, nationwide laboratories, utilities and nonprofit organizations with the objective of creating a ranking system for roofing merchandise primarily based on correct and credible strategies for evaluating a product’s radiative efficiency. The group expanded its scope to incorporate exterior partitions in 2019. For extra details about CRRC product scores, please go to coolroofs.org.
Concerning the Creator
Sarah Schneider is the deputy director of the Cool Roof Ranking Council (CRRC), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit group that develops scientifically supported strategies for evaluating and labeling the radiative properties of roofing and exterior wall merchandise. Ms. Schneider has a B.S. in Environmental Science and grasp’s diploma in Public Coverage.
