Focus

In November, NRCA issued a white paper created by its Energy Conservation and Environmental Issues Task Force to discuss roofing, energy and the environment. During the past several years, NRCA has been working with various government agencies and industry organizations to develop accurate information about energy-efficient roof systems. The white paper is one of the first pieces developed to this end.

The white paper acknowledges optimizing energy savings and improving the environment through roof system design and application are complicated issues but these goals can be achieved if the roofing industry plays a significant role in the U.S. energy program.

Because there are many types of roof systems available for residential and commercial buildings and climates greatly affect how energy efficient a roof system can be, a solid understanding of the issues related to energy and roofing is needed, according to the white paper. And it is up to the roofing industry to educate building owners and homeowners about their options.

The white paper mentions several options that can help keep a roof system energy efficient, such as appropriate insulation, reflective materials, and regular maintenance and repairs.

The white paper states: "There is some emerging science suggesting that if roof systems in urban areas can reflect enough heat, they have the potential to reduce the area's ambient temperature and, thereby, reduce levels of smog. Although the science is not yet definitive, reflective and emissive roof surfaces may help buildings cool in the summer, especially those without adequate amounts of insulation, and have proved to be valuable for energy-saving purposes in warmer climates."

These topics form part of the focus of our cover feature this month, "The cool roofing movement," page 16, which discusses efforts the Cool Roof Rating Council is making to raise awareness of the benefits of energy-efficient roof systems.

As NRCA's efforts to raise awareness about energy-efficient roof systems continue, Professional Roofing will keep you updated about the progress, as well as report on other efforts being made in the industry. To access NRCA's white paper, log on to www.nrca.net.

Ambika Puniani is editor of Professional Roofing magazine and NRCA's director of communications.