By Emma Peterson. 

Explore the science, benefits and savings surrounding cool roofing. 

Did you know that a traditional roof can reach temperatures upwards of 150°F on sunny summer afternoons? This type of heat and exposure not only can prematurely age the roof, but it also contributes to things like the urban heat island effect (when urban areas experience higher temperatures, greater pollution and negative health impacts during hot summer months due to the overwhelming presence of heat-absorptive surfaces like pavement and heat-generating activities like engines) and can raise the building's cooling costs! So, what can you do about this? Cool roof materials! 

What is a cool roof  

The United States Department of Energy reports that a “cool roof is designed to reflect more sunlight than a conventional roof, absorbing less solar energy, [and lowering the temperature by 50°F or more].” Lowering this temperature leads to a variety of benefits, both for the building owner and the environment around it. Benefits include: 

• Energy bill savings: By keeping the roof cooler, the entire building stays cooler. This helps reduce the air conditioning needs of the building and can save a lot of money over time.  
• Extend roof life: Extensive exposure to high temperatures can prematurely age a roof. By lowering the temperature a roof reaches, cool roofing can extend the lifespan of a roof. 
• Reduce urban heat island effect: Because the roof is absorbing less heat (ergo releasing less heat later) and instead reflecting it back out into the atmosphere, it lowers outside temperatures and can help offset climate issues.  
• Decrease pollution: Many air pollutants are temperature dependent and create a cooler atmosphere around it, cool roofs can actually slow the formation of smog! They also generally reduce the number of pollutants put into the environment as they lower the power plant energy consumption by reducing air condition usage. 

What does a cool roof look like? 

Cool roofs come in many different shapes and forms. Many are often lighter-colored, as that allows them to reflect more sunlight and subsequently heat. However, as “about half of sunlight arrives as invisible “near infrared” radiation... dark materials can use special pigments (colorants) that preferentially reflect this invisible light.” This innovation allows home and building owners to adopt cool roofing without sacrificing things like curb appeal. 

One of the best resources to work with to make a choice about cool roofing is the Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC). They are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that “develops fair, accurate and credible methods for evaluating and labeling the radiative properties of roofing and exterior wall products.” Specifically, the rated roof products directory is a great resource to learn more about cool roofing materials and products.  

Installing a cool roof 

While cool roofing has many benefits, they can be a bit expensive. Oftentimes, that cost is offset but the long-term savings in reduced energy bills and extended roof lifespan, but it can be a lot up front. Luckily, there are a lot of programs that help make cool roofs affordable! A great example is the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) rebates for cool roof installations. These rebates offer “$0.20 to $0.80 per square foot for eligible cool roof installations” in order to make energy-efficiency more accessible.  

The rebates available to home and building owners depends on the state and city they live in, though there was a bill (H.R.2679) introduced in April 2025 called Cool Roof Rebate Act of 2025 that aims to “to direct the Secretary of Energy to establish and carry out a program to provide rebates for the purchase and installation of cool roof products.” However, as of the writing of this article, this bill is still being examined by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. In the meantime, here are some of the rebates to look into based on what state you’re in!  

• California: Cool roof rebate options are not limited to Los Angeles. There’s a statewide program called Energy Upgrade CA that offers rebates of up to $5,000 for eligible cool roofing materials that are installed alongside other energy efficient home upgrades. 
• Florida: Florida’s Solar and Energy Loan Fund (SELF) offers rebates of up to $5,000 for roofing materials that are certified with ENERGY STAR®. 
• New York: Like Florida, New York offers rebates based on the installation of ENERGY STAR® certified roofing products. This is part of the state’s NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research and Development Authority) program. 
• Ohio: Home and business owners in Ohio can get interest rate reductions of loans for energy-efficient roofing through Ohio’s Eco-Link program. 
• Texas: The Texas Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) is a powerful financial program that can provide a loan of up to 100% for energy efficiency and renewable energy retrofits.  
• Illinois: For residents of Illinois, they can apply for grants up to 50% of the installation cost through the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation. 

In addition to state rebates and programs, many utility companies and roofing manufacturers offer their own rebates and incentives to encourage the use of cool roofing materials. A great example is residents of Colorado and Minnesota whose utility company is Xcel Energy, who can use “ENERGY STAR® certified roofing materials as part of their home energy efficiency programs.” As for manufacture incentives, companies like GAF, Owens Corning and CertainTeed have different promotions and rebates available. Overall, no matter where you are, cool roofs are a great option to not only help the environment and your community but also save some money and make your building more comfortable. 

Original image source: Cool Roof Rating Council

By Emma Peterson. 

Learn how cool roofs create a more energy-efficient and equitable Hawaiʻi. 

Every state in the U.S. presents unique challenges and needs when it comes time to constructing or renovating a building. For example, in Colorado, residents need to think about snow retention, while in Florida it’s tropical storms and hurricanes that are big concerns. Last year, Lauren White, editor at The Coffee Shops™, got the chance to talk to Howard Wiig and Ron Chatterjee at the Hawaiʻi State Energy Office about some of the unique challenges facing Hawaiʻi communities.  

Given their respective position positions at the state energy office, the conversation naturally drifted towards energy efficiency challenges in the Hawaiian Islands. One of the biggest reasons this conversation is so crucial in Hawaiʻi is limited land availability because it is an island state. Ron elaborated: “Unlike the mainland, there's almost no gas infrastructure here. We don't have gas water heaters or gas appliances. The most gas used is in the Waikiki area, on the resorts, because there are no gas reserves on the islands.” The gas used in the resort areas is either manufactured synthetically or shipped to Hawaiʻi at a hefty price.  

In the place of gas infrastructure, many communities rely on electricity for appliances like water heaters. The problem with these electrical resistance-based systems is that they are notoriously inefficient. So the communities that rely on them end up paying more for less because technology like solar panels and solar-thermal heaters have quickly outpaced resistant heaters (systems that use electric coils).  

So why haven’t Hawaiʻi residents switched over to the more economical and efficient option? Lack of accessibility. Howard explained: “To look at this from an equity standpoint, if you look at a map of where solar thermal heaters and photovoltaics are installed, and you correlate that with per-capita income, guess where those more energy efficient units are? On the homes of the people who can afford it. The majority of resistance water heaters still in use today are in lower-income areas.” 

What Ron and Howard are working on with their team at the Energy Office is helping low-to-moderate income communities' access better energy solutions. One of the ways they make this happen is through grants. “We're working with a lot of the programs that the Inflation Reduction Act and the bipartisan infrastructure law have created,” Ron elaborated. “We apply for grants mostly aimed at these communities. For example, Hawaiʻi was awarded$34 million for the Solar for All program from the Environmental Protection Agency. Using these funds, the Hawaiʻi Green Infrastructure Authority is providing solar for more residents.” 

In addition to the grant work that the state energy office participates in, they are also taking initiative by training contractors on the islands and changing building codes to create healthier, more energy-efficient structures. As an example, Howard shared that under Hawaiʻi Energy Code 2B, when roofs are replaced, instead of having to insulate them, contractors must make them reflective. In this, Hawaiʻi is unique in the nation. And studies show savings from insulation versus savings from reflectivity are approximately equal. 

The big difference between insulation and cool roof coatings is that where insulation keeps cool air trapped inside a space, cool roof coatings keep heat from conducting into a space in the first place. The Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC) explains cool roofing as follows. A cool roof reflects sunlight (solar energy), emitting any heat that was absorbed. This makes the roof literally stay cooler and reduces the amount of heat conducted into the building below. Cool roofing is growing popular in areas on the mainland like southern California and in the southwest states because it has proven to be incredibly effective. In fact, Howard explained, when Hawaiʻi developed Building Energy Code (2B), they took a lot of cues from California’s Title 24 reflectivity and emissivity ratings on products.  

Beyond the energy efficiency goals driving this choice, it is also a more affordable solution that negates the need to ship more materials to the islands. Ron explained that insulation, like gas, is a lot more expensive in Hawaiʻi than on the mainland. So, reflective coatings on walls and roofs are the economical way forward because they provide the same amount of heat mitigation as insulation would. Overall, these initiatives not only help the environment and the state from an energy efficiency perspective, but also give the people of Hawaiʻi healthier and more comfortable homes to live in. 

Original photo source: Hawaiʻi’s State Energy Office

By Emma Peterson.

Learn how an $18.1M grant is powering Hawaiʻi’s push for energy efficiency.

Building a more environmentally friendly future is not only crucial to mitigating the future effects of climate change, but it also provides economic and health benefits for people right now. A huge part of doing this is building a more efficient and resilient energy grid. Recently, Hawaiʻi’s State Energy Office received an $18.1million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to help them implement a building energy performance standard aimed at energy-efficiency. Lauren White, the editor at The Coffee Shops™, got the chance to sit down with Howard Wiig and Ron Chatterjee of the Hawaiʻi State Energy Office to talk about the grant and where the money will be going.

Ron, who is an energy efficiency specialist, explained the core of what this grant does, saying, “It's to develop energy targets for older existing commercial buildings that were constructed before building energy codes were introduced. It's not directed at residential at all, although some very large multifamily buildings are going to be part of this at a much later date. But it's office buildings, hospitals, shops and resorts, who are the main energy users on the islands.” The majority of the money will be used to create a workforce development program to support the goals of this program. The skilled trades workers who come out of the program will then be able to work in the field, retrofitting and rebuilding according to the increased energy efficiency standards.

Because the training is being done with the goal of having skilled workers who can make buildings in their communities more energy efficient, there is a lot of code training involved. Howard has a lot of experience with energy codes, having watched the first energy codes emerge in the 1980s. He shared a bit of the history, saying, “In the 1990s came the upwelling of energy codes for residential buildings. And a residence is defined as a building that is three stories or less in height and is intended for the habituation of occupants. If you have a three-story building, and the top two are for residents, and the bottom is for retail, then that's called a mixed-use building.”  

A great example of the type of installation practices and products that these codes deal with are cool roofs. The Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC) describes a cool roof as, “One that strongly reflects sunlight (solar energy) and also cools itself by efficiently emitting any heat that was absorbed. The roof literally stays cooler and reduces the amount of heat conducted into the building below.” The use of cool roofs is an especially powerful method in the unique climate of Hawaiʻi. Ron explained, “We have absolutely no heating load. We have a lot of cooling load. If you look at the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), who do all the heating and cooling calculations, even Miami has a certain amount of heating load that they anticipate. We are the only place that does not. And so, insulation being a lot more expensive here than on the mainland, the reflective coatings on walls and roofs are the economical way forward because it does the same amount of heat mitigation as insulation would.”

So, when the Hawaiʻi’s State Energy Office started developing the codes for energy efficiency, they kept this in mind. Howard explained, “When the 2015 energy code came along on the mainland and said that existing residences needed to install the same amount of insulation as a new construction if they were going to reroof, the Roofing Contractors Association of Hawaiʻi came to me and said, ‘Howard, this is going to double the cost of our reroofing.’ And that's when we sat down and came up with this solution, using California's Title 24, which requires a higher reflectivity and emissivity rating, in our code.”

The result of establishing and continuing to develop codes like this can be seen through typical single-family residence energy consumption. Howard explained, “When I first started in the business, the typical kilowatt-hour bill for your typical single-family residence was about 1,000 kilowatt-hours a month. Now, even with every electricity consuming device known to man, our average single-family residential bill is now 600 KWH a month.” Now, eight years later and with the grant supporting them, Ron, Howard and their coworkers are still improving and developing their code and workforce to create more energy efficiency in Hawaiʻi.  

Original photo source: Hawaiʻi’s State Energy Office

By Howard Wiig, Hawai‘i State Energy Office. 

Explore the benefits of cool wall technology and its role as a sustainable solution for modern construction in a warming world. 

For centuries, homes in hot climates like the Mediterranean have been painted white to help reflect heat. As global temperatures rise, this practice is more relevant than ever. With advances in pigment technology, reflective surfaces can now be an array of colors that expand beyond white. “Cool colors” offer the same appearance as standard colors while reflecting more solar energy thanks to enhancements with materials like titanium dioxide. This technology reduces heat absorption without altering the visible color, making them a smart choice for energy-efficient and sustainable buildings worldwide. 

Understanding the benefits of cool coatings 

Coatings formulated with cool colors absorb less heat and have a total solar reflectance (SR) that is significantly higher than when using the same-colored coating with conventional pigments. For example, a standard green paint may have an SR of 0.25 while a similar-looking cool green paint may have an SR of 0.50 – regardless of whether the substrate is wood, cementitious fiberboard or stucco. Cool colors’ secret sauce is titanium dioxide and other minerals embedded in the paints.  

Two 2010 studies by Newport Ventures consulting on adding R-3 and R-5 continuous insulation in addition to R-13 interior insulation to steel-framed homes resulted in estimated payback times of between 46 and 85 years. An independent consultant produced nearly identical estimates. While Hawai‘i’s kWh cost was $0.27 in 2010, the value of the dollar has slipped by 44% since then, creating an approximate tradeoff.   

Cool exterior walls 

Cool exterior walls are evaluated using two properties – solar reflectance and thermal emittance, measured on a scale from 0 to 1, where 1 is the most reflective or emissive. The Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC) measures these two properties for exterior wall products, both for the product's initial values and after three years of outdoor exposure. The CRRC publishes the results in the CRRC Wall Rated Products Directory. The directory enables you to compare the rated values of various product types and brands. 

Hawai‘i was the first state to add cool walls to its International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). In Table R407, Points Option, credit is given for high reflectance walls in the wood-framed, metal-frames and mass walls sections. A high-reflectance wall is defined as having a visible light reflectance of .64 or greater. (Subsequent issues of Hawai‘i’s amendments to the IECC will use the metric of SR.)   

Nationally, ASHRAE’s 90.2 standard for residences requires an SR of .20 for mass walls. California’s Title 24 and the City of Los Angeles have cool city requirements that include cool surfaces and other states and cities are being added to the list.                 

LEED certification 

Perhaps the most powerful driver of cool walls is LEED — Leadership in Energy Efficient Design — a documentation program which requires building designers to achieve high levels of health, comfort and energy efficiency. Well over 100,000 buildings worldwide are LEED certified. High reflectance surfaces receive key points. Under LEED Version 4.1, “Heat Island Mitigation With Cool Walls,” one point will be awarded for the installation of a cool exterior wall product under the Heat Island Reduction Sustainable Sites Credit for the Building Design and Construction (BD+C) rating system. When a cool exterior wall product is used for the heat island reduction credit, the CRRC Directory can be used to find products that meet the requirements.    

To achieve the credit, at least 60% of the building’s gross exterior wall area (including vertical fenestration) must be surfaced with a wall material that has an SR of at least 0.60 and thermal emittance of at least 0.75.  

Cool walls in energy studies 

Because the same laws of physics that apply to cool roofs apply to cool walls, an EPA brochure offering an excellent primer on cool roofs is entirely relevant to the cool wall designer.    

For those wanting a deep dive into cool walls, the California Energy Commission’s study is possibly the most definitive. In California, project researchers used EnergyPlus to perform more than 100,000 building energy simulations, which included: 

• 10 different building categories 
• Three building vintages 
• 16 California climate zones 
• 15 United States climate zones 

Key parameters varied during these simulations, including: 

• Wall albedo (solar reflectance) 
• Roof albedo 
• Combination of walls modified 
• Building orientation 

Results showed: 

• Annual savings in source energy and energy costs across all California and warm U.S. climate zones 
• Reductions in emissions, including carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), nitrogen oxide (NOx) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) 
• HVAC peak power demand reductions in all simulated zones 
• In California specifically, cool walls reduced whole-building annual HVAC energy use by 3% to 25% 

Solar radiation control is an effective means to decrease building cooling energy. By reflecting sunlight away from an exterior surface before it can be absorbed, solar radiation control keeps the exposed building surface cooler. This decreases the temperature difference between the inside and the outside of walls. Reduced heat flow means lower energy costs for the building owner. Reflecting sunlight away also diminishes the effects of high temperature and intense sunlight on immediate surroundings. We can learn from the ancient Mediterranean designers and improve upon them by using our secret sauces to specify highly reflective medium colors as well.  An easy-to-use guide is provided by the Lawrence Berkeley Lab.  

About Howard Wiig 

Howard Wiig is the codes and standards program manager for the Hawai‘i State Energy Office. Any comments or questions, please contact him at howard.c.wiig@hawaii.gov. 

By Emma Peterson. 

Learn a bit about the science behind having a cool home and why it’s so important. 

As the pressure of rising heat levels continues to emerge, issues like urban heat islands and overstressed energy grids are becoming more and more common. In this AskARoofer podcast episode, Megan Ellsworth and Lauren White speak to Sarah Schneider and Audrey McGarrell of the Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC) to learn how homes are being redesigned to account for these issues. CRRC is a nonprofit that works on ensuring free data and information surrounding urban cooling and energy efficiency is widely available to homeowners and contractors. Sarah is CRRC’s deputy director and Audrey is a project manager for the team. 

In the most basic of terms, a cool roof is one that reflects sunlight and re-emits heat that is typically absorbed by traditional roofs. Audrey explained a bit more, “We're really looking at solar reflectance and thermal emittance. These both fall under the umbrella of what we call radiative properties, and they're both measured on a scale of zero to one. Zero would be basically no reflectance, no emittance, whereas one would be the most reflective or emissive that you could get.” Getting closer to that one means that the roof itself would be cooler, which keeps the home cooler and means there is less need for internal air conditioning.  

But this work is not limited to the roof. Audrey explained, “The exterior wall side is a newer topic that's coming on the scene as communities are looking for more ways to combat heat as the world continues to be warmer. With a cool exterior wall, it's exactly the same concept in that it has a higher solar reflectance, a higher thermal emittance, and keeps the building cooler inside.” One of the biggest challenges to expanding the conversation to exterior walls is the misconception that the impact is negligible.  

While a cool roof makes logical sense given the direct exposure to the sun, walls often don’t get direct sunlight all day. But they still play a key role in keeping a home cool. Audrey explained why they are equally important, “Studies have shown, at least in the state of California, that walls have only about half as much insulation as your attic or your roof does. That lesser insulation coupled with slightly less solar radiation kind of cancels itself out and we see quite similar benefits from cool exterior walls as we do with cool roofs.” 

Read the transcript or Listen to the entire episode to find out more about what keeps a roof and a home cool. 

New launches include Unified Steel Material List Generator, Unified Steel Cool Roof Colors, CEU Course on underlayments for architects and e-books and a new DaVinci color exterior support series.

Westlake Royal Roofing Solutions will also feature its new Unified Steel Cool Roof Colors, two hues rated by the Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC). Each color provides high solar reflectivity and high thermal emittance when solar energy hits the roof surface, detracting sunlight and radiating heat off the roof surface. The colors exceed California Energy Code (CEC) Title 24 Part 6 Cool Roof Requirements and, with a Solar Reflective Index greater than 20, meet Los Angeles County’s more stringent SRI requirements. The colors, Harborwood™ and Stirling Gray™, are offered in PINE-CREST Shake and PACIFIC Tile® profiles.

The company is also unveiling its new CEU course on roof underlayments for architects. The Importance of Roof Underlayment for Energy Efficiency and Fire Resistance course explores the roof underlayment as an integral part of the total roof system design and educates architects on the performance, benefits, fire resistance and weather resilience of various underlayment types. The course is accessible through Hanley Wood University and the AIA. Participants obtain 1.0 CEU credit upon completion. 

DaVinci will also recognize roofers from coast-to-coast who have received the 2023 DaVinci Masterpiece Contractor® Project of the Year Awards. Six residential projects and one commercial project have received the prestigious award. Qualifications for DaVinci Masterpiece Contractors to obtain the award include excellence of installation work, outstanding visual impact and ability of the roofing work to transform the look of a home or commercial project.

On Tuesday, February 27, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. PT, RoofersCoffeeShop will broadcast live from the Westlake Royal Roofing Solutions section of the Westlake Royal Building Products booth. Heidi Ellsworth, President of RoofersCoffeeShop, will interview industry leaders on new product introductions at the show, trends taking place in the industry and insights into show floor activities.

To explore the full suite of Westlake Royal Roofing Solution’s clay, concrete, steel, composite, and components roofing solutions, visit westlakeroyalroofing.com.

About Westlake Royal Roofing LLC 

Westlake Royal Roofing Solutions is a recognized, national leader in durable and sustainable clay, composite, concrete, and steel roof systems and components. The company’s offerings include US Tile products, a legacy line of premium, stunning clay tile solutions manufactured to the highest standard of sustainability and craftsmanship; DaVinci Roofscapes, beautiful and durable composite slate and shake roofing tiles; Newpoint Concrete Tile Roofing, the enduring line of concrete tile known for its superior strength, Class A fire rating and long-lasting beauty; Unified Steel Stone Coated Roofing, the ultra-lightweight roofing system which benefits from the structural strength of steel; and Westlake Royal Roofing Components, a full line of integrated roof components designed to deliver a higher standard of roof installation and performance.

About Westlake Royal Building Products

Westlake Royal Building Products USA Inc., a Westlake company (NYSE:WLK), is a leader throughout North America in the innovation, design, and production of a broad and diverse range of exterior and interior building products, including Siding and Accessories, Trim and Mouldings, Roofing, Stone, Windows and Outdoor Living. For more than 50 years, Westlake Royal Building Products has manufactured high quality, low maintenance products to meet the specifications and needs of building professionals, homeowners, architects, engineers and distributors, while providing stunning curb appeal with an unmatched array of colors, styles, and accessories.

By Dani Sheehan. 

Celebrate the top content from 2023 and see what topics are top of mind for home and building owners like you! 

When you have questions, we find the answers! No matter the topic, we strive to connect roofing contractors with homeowners and building owners to provide education and build relationships. We wanted to take a moment to celebrate the hard work by our industry partners and Coffee Shop crew in the amazing content we shared last year.  

Top articles 

Top AskARoofer article - “IKO Introduces Summit Grey – A new Color in its Line of Performance Shingles” 

The North American mountains inspired the addition of Summit Grey to IKO’s Dynasty® and Nordic™ Performance-class shingle lines. Offering homeowners exquisite curb appeal, these shingles also have a strong impact resistance rating and protect against wind uplift, so they are well suited for any climate. 

Top innovative product article - “Owens Corning Expands Algae Resistance Warranty Coverage” 

This article shows Owens Corning’s commitment to investing in the longevity of a roof’s curb appeal. Increased from ten years to 25 years, their Algae Resistance Limited Warranty provides long-term protection against blue-green algae thanks to advanced granule technology. Our innovative products’ page helps keep you up to date on new products, technologies and innovations designed to better protect your home. 

Top Q&A article - “Q&A – Advice on Flashing a Chimney” 

Our resident expert roofer, John Stout with Go Roof Tune Up™ helps a homeowner from Minnesota with a question about how high to run the flashing for their chimney. Don’t miss answers to all your roofing questions – submit your own question or read about other common problems and how to solve them! 

Top podcast episodes 

AskARoofer podcast - “How Cool is Your Roof?” 

Listen to industry experts from the Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC) explain how important it is for your roof to help manage the temperature of your home. In this exhilarating episode around sustainability, you’ll see why we think roofs are cool and how to take advantage of a cool roof for your home too! Catch more episodes from AskARoofer during your commute to work or while you’re cooking dinner and wow your friends and family with cool facts about all things roofing. 

Understanding Roof Restoration podcast - “Hail Damage and Fluid Applied Reinforced Roofing” 

Join Greg and Hal from Western Colloid as they discuss how fluid-applied reinforced roofing is an excellent way to remediate hail damage. If you’re a building owner, this episode is for you! They talk about how to identify hail damage on commercial roofs, which substrates are more susceptible to damage and how to talk to insurance adjusters about alternative solutions for repairs. Whether you’re looking to get into roof restorations yourself or just like learning about roofing systems, our Understanding Roof Restoration podcast provides answers to questions you submit each month. 

Social media posts 

Join our community of homeowners when you follow us on Instagram and TikTok and hear industry experts answer important questions about your roof. Some days it’s all business, and other days the crew is sure to have you rolling on the floor laughing and sending posts to all your friends. 

TikTok – In this video, homeowner Jack wants to know how long their multi-layered roof will last. Watch the video to find the answer you need! 

Instagram reel – Even working in the industry, I still call my dad when I’m having issues with my roof! This Instagram reel captures the sentiment all too well. Who do you call first? 

Westlake Royal Roofing Solutions has just released two new Unified Steel™ Stone Coated Roofing cool rated colors.

The two new hues, Harborwood and Stirling Gray, are each available in Unified Steel’s PINE-CREST Shake and PACIFIC Tile profiles and each provides a high Solar Reflective Index (SRI), helping to keep homes significantly cooler in warm months. Harborwood is a beautiful taupe and Stirling Gray a cool gray tone.

“These are very popular color choices among homeowners, remodelers and builders today and we are happy to add them to our Unified Steel Stone Coated Roofing options,” says Ann Iten, director of marketing with Westlake Royal Roofing Solutions.

Both Harborwood and Stirling Gray are colors rated by the Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC), the roofing industry’s foremost authority on cool roof colors and performance. Both options are proven to provide high solar reflectivity and high thermal emittance as solar energy hits the roof surface.

“In essence, these colors both detract sunlight and radiate heat off the roof surface, preventing it from absorbing into the structure below,” says Iten. “Homeowners that select these colors will enjoy lower energy bills and greater comfort in their living space.”

Greater SRI performance

Harborwood and Stirling Grey both exceed California Energy Code (CEC) Title 24 Part 6 Cool Roof Requirements and, with a Solar Reflective Index, or SRI, greater than 20, also meet LA County’s more stringent SRI requirements.

About Unified Steel: A new roof and retrofit solution

Unified Steel Stone Coated Roofing is a roofing material with durability and resistance to severe weather. Lightweight at just 1.5 pounds per square foot, the material benefits from the structural strength of steel. When paired with Above Sheathing Ventilation (ASV), Unified Steel provides enhanced energy efficiency performance. All Unified Steel products are Very Severe Hail (VSH) rated, offer a Class A Fire Rating (when used with designated accompanying underlay materials) and are Hurricane Performance Rated with Miami-Dade County HVHZ Approval, notably the most stringent hurricane resistance standard in the country.

Additional cool roofing options

The two new Steel Cool Roof Rated Colors join Westlake Royal Roofing Solutions’ wide range of cool roof colors, which encompass options in Newpoint™ Concrete Roof Tile, US Tile® Clay Roofing Tile, and DaVinci® Roofscapes. The various cool roof colors are presented in numerous profiles to complement a variety of architectural styles, color schemes and preferences. Cool Roof Rated Colors may also be paired with the Westlake Royal™ Cool Roof System, which boosts the roof’s overall energy efficiency even further. The Cool Roof System is an energy saving system that helps a home stay cool during warm weather, creating a comfortable living environment and saving on overall energy costs.

Explore today

To explore Unified Steel Stone Coated Roofing, visit https://westlakeroyalroofing.com/unified-steel.

View the Unified Steel Cool Roof System.

Explore the Westlake Royal Cool Roof System for Concrete and Clay tile roofing.

By Evelyn Witterholt. 

Bliss Roofing and National Women in Roofing teamed up to fix the roof of the Project Homeless Connect building in Washington. 

For National Roofing Week, Bliss Roofing and National Women in Roofing (NWiR) worked together on a reroofing project for the Project Homeless Connect building in Washington state. The two partnered with the Home Building Foundation to complete the project by supplying labor and materials, much of which was also donated.  

Stephanie Baird, general manager of Bliss Roofing, played a large role in helping the project come to fruition. For the past year, she had been planning this major roof tear-off and reroof project and reaching out for donations and organizing the build day. Stephanie was also the recipient of the 2023 WORLD Award Veteran at NWiR day. 

The build took place during the National Roofing Contractors Association’s (NRCA) National Roofing Week on their day celebrating charitable projects. The project involved a two-layer roof tear-off, rafter and overhang replacement and a full roof resheet. 12 roofers showed up to help install the roof and many other volunteers attended to help with ground clean up. 

In a message sent to her NWiR council, Stephanie said, “What an amazing way to spend National Roofing Week by partnering with the Home Building Foundation to gift a new roof to Project Homeless Connect of Washington County!” 

The gifted roof was ultimately valued at $35,000 and the following companies also helped by donating materials and labor: 

• Owens Corning 
• Malarkey Roofing Products 
• Simply Affordable (SA) Roofing 
• Integrity Insurance & Bonding Inc. 
• Cool Roofs Rating Council (CRRC) 

Brenda Ketah, executive director of the Home Building Foundation had nothing but good things to say about the project. “Home Building Foundation-HomeAid Portland is thrilled to work with National Women in Roofing on another shelter project,” she said. “The volunteers are fantastic to work with and every detail is planned and organized. We are very appreciative of this partnership and can’t wait for the next one!”

By Evelyn Witterholt. 

In honor of Earth Day, we are highlighting 10 of our favorite eco-friendly roofing products that everyone needs to know about. 

Earth Day is right around the corner, a day where we all come together to make changes that will better our planet. But these changes don’t have to be limited to just one day. Sustainable roofing is well within our reach no matter what kind of roof you want. 

While there is a plethora of sustainable roofing products out there, here are 10 of our favorites that are available now: 

1 – Malarkey smog-reducing shingle 

Last year, Malarkey Roofing Products announced they were embedding 3M™ Smog-reducing Granules into every one of their shingles. This groundbreaking roofing technology converts smog into water-soluble ions using the power of the sun. According to Malarkey, “By simply installing an average of two Malarkey roofs per week, the contractor ‘planted’ the equivalent of 260 trees annually.” 

2 – Green roofs 

What could be a greener roofing material than a roof made of plants? Green roofs, or roofs that are made entirely of vegetation and a waterproof membrane, are popping up all over the world. Recently, the Coffee Shops’ Reporter Cayden Wemple, wrote about a green roof on the University of Denver commons building. The university installed the roof as part of Denver’s green roof law which, according to the 2017 green roof law that was approved by Denver voters, mandates that all new buildings of a particular size incorporate green spaces. 

3 – Solar shingles  

You’ve heard of solar panels, but what about solar shingles? CertainTeed recently launched their Solstice shingle, which can easily be installed with asphalt shingles. They produce almost the same amount of energy as a traditional solar panel while offering a more seamless and less-bulky look.  

4 – Metal 

The metal roofing industry is constantly growing, largely in part because of how sustainable the material is. The Metal Roofing Alliance (MRA) has done a great job promoting how eco-friendly metal roofing can be. According to the MRA, “metal roofing lasts 50-plus years — nearly two to three times longer than other materials. It is 100% recyclable and can be recycled at the end of its long life.” 

5 – Cool roofs 

These types of roofs are cool in more ways than one! At its core, cool roofs are any kind of roof that reflects sunlight really well to the point of keeping itself cool. One organization we love is the Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC) for all the work they do to educate contractors and homeowners about cool roofing systems. 

We recently spoke with Audrey McGarrell from CRRC about the broader definition of a cool roof and why they are so great for the environment. Audrey said, “All materials are reflecting some degree of light and they're also absorbing some degree of heat. When you're talking about a cool roof, it is one that is a greater percentage of reflectance and emittance than maybe your conventional material.” 

6 – Recycled shingles 

Recently, Owens Corning launched their shingle recycling program where they take recycled shingles and turn them into new shingles or asphalt paving. Their goal with the program is to divert 2 million tons of shingle from landfills annually by 2030. 

7 – Reflective roof coatings 

Reflective roof coatings are a great way to keep buildings cool by reflecting the sun away from the roof. Coatings like these can be found in fluid applied reinforced roofing systems, like the ones from Western Colloid. In an article by Western Colloid, it states that “reflective coatings can reflect anywhere between 76 and 84% of the sun’s rays, drastically reducing the heat load on your building.”  

8 – Gypsum-fiber roof boards 

USG Corporation has long been committed to offering contractors sustainable building products. While they have many sustainable materials, one we think is cool is their Securock® Brand Gypsum-Fiber Roof Board. Not only can this roof board be used on all kinds of roofing materials, but it is also made from 97% recycled material.  

9 – 600-month-old roof 

Earlier this year, Duro-Last® and DuPont™ announced their Duro-Life™ 600 Roofing System, a roof that’s built to last 600 months (50 years). This roofing system is great for low-slope roofs, like schools or hospitals, as it will require minimal maintenance and will not need to be replaced for decades. 

10 – Sustainable roof-pond repair kit 

Last but not least is the GreenSlope roof ponding repair kit from Viking Products Group, a ponding repair solution that is as sustainable as it is effective! This product works wonders on roof ponding problems while being 1/5 the weight of other concrete solutions. Plus, it’s made from recycled EPDM which will please eco-friendly contractors and building owners alike. 

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