by Rebecca Walker — July 23, 2010—The Department of Energy (DOE) announced on July 19 a series of initiatives to more broadly implement cool roof technologies on DOE facilities and buildings across the country. As part of the new efforts, DOE will install a cool roof, whenever cost effective over the lifetime of the roof, during construction of a new roof or the replacement of an old one at a DOE facility.
Cool roofs rely on lighter-colored roofing surfaces or special coatings to reflect more of the sun’s heat. Re-roofing for DOE headquarters in Washington, D.C., will begin this summer. Similar efforts are also underway at DOE’s Idaho National Laboratory and Brookhaven National Laboratory. Together, these projects will cover more than 350,000 square feet and save thousands of dollars for taxpayers annually, says the DOE.
While announcing the new initiatives, Energy Secretary Steven Chu also issued a letter to the heads of other federal agencies, encouraging them to take similar steps at their facilities. To offer additional support for federal and commercial building operators considering cool roofs, DOE released guidelines that provide technical assistance on types of roofing materials and the selection of a roof that will work best on a specific facility.
DOE is also expanding its cool roof research to enable technological innovation and guide policy implementation. The effort includes developing advanced testing protocols, conducting urban heat islands, and undertaking studies to further quantify the direct global cooling benefits associated with cool surfaces. The Department also anticipates awarding new projects to develop higher performing, new innovative roofing materials under the DOE’s Small Business Innovation Research grant program. For more information, see the DOE press release.
