Leveraging resources

Installing energy-efficient roof systems is a trend that does not seem to be going away. The sustainability trend, coupled with easy access to information, is changing the roofing landscape. Building owners and homeowners are becoming more data savvy and not only want buildings and homes designed to save them money, but they also want buildings and homes that will earn them money. Thanks to Internet search engines, there are many online resources that allow building owners and homeowners to gather enough information to make any roof system renovation or new construction project an earning opportunity.

As you bid on potential projects, it is important to find ways to separate your company from others. Staying informed about changes in consumers' needs is paramount to your continued success. Putting together information about the ways roofing products and systems can save building owners and homeowners money and including the information with your project submittals is a great way to stand apart from other contractors. But where do you get the information to include in your proposals? What resources are reliable and accurate? And how much time will it add to the submittal process?

Federal incentives

The Department of Energy's (DOE's) website, www.dsire.org, includes a database of state incentives for energy efficiency. It has tools such as a summary table that lists by state the tax incentives, rebates, grants and loans available statewide and locally. There are more than 1,100 rebates available through utility companies, local governing bodies and state governments, as well as nationwide rebates. Also included on the website is a summary of the rules and regulations associated with tax deduction and rebate eligibility.

DOE also has a website dedicated to the State and Local Energy Efficiency Action Network, an effort facilitated by DOE and the Environmental Protection Agency, to take energy efficiency to a larger scale and achieve total cost-effective energy efficiency by 2020. The website, www1.eere.energy.gov/seeaction, links to working groups that address building energy codes, residential retrofit, evaluation, measurement and verification, and more.

The federal tax deduction for energy-efficient retrofits of commercial and multifamily buildings expired in 2013. Although a bill was introduced in the Senate in 2012 for an extension, the bill has yet to pass. The bill proposed to extend the Section 179D tax deduction through 2016 while modifying the deduction to target the retrofits of existing commercial buildings. Section 179D was established by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and allows a deduction of up to $1.80 per square foot for new buildings or renovations designed to use 50 percent less energy than ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2001, "Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings." (For information about roof system depreciation legislation, see Capitol Hill, page 14.)

Although the number of local and state tax deduction opportunities currently is limited, there is the potential for these governing bodies to offer more local tax incentives for using energy-efficient materials as federal funds dry up. In the interim, there are a number of utility companies that offer rebates for using energy-efficient roofing materials, and the number continues to grow.

Local incentives

Available to commercial and residential projects, utility company rebates are offered in many regions. Each utility company has its own set of rules to be eligible for the rebates, and the variances are vast. Be sure to contact the local utility company before you begin any project for which a building owner or homeowner is expecting a rebate. You may need to be qualified as an eligible contractor by the utility company.

For example, Florida Power & Light requires contractors be approved as Participating Independent Contractors. And though a contractor may be listed on Florida Power & Light's website as a business that has agreed to comply with Florida Power & Light's program standards, the utility company does not officially recommend contractors.

Through Florida Power & Light's program, work must be completed by a Participating Independent Contractor; a prequalification process is conducted by Florida Power & Light before the start of a project; the existing roof system solar reflectance must be less than 40 percent; and there must be a 10-year manufacturer's full-system warranty for any white roof surfacing materials installed with a solar reflectance of 73 percent or greater.

Austin Energy's Power Saver™ Program in Texas does not require contractors to be prequalified, but job sites must be pre-verified by Austin Energy before new roofing materials are installed to determine existing R-values and existing roofs are not reflective. This program specifically states roofing materials must be reflective and requires ASTM International test data to be submitted verifying 75 percent reflectivity.

In California, Pacific Gas & Electric Co. offers a comprehensive rebate program to its customers living in residential and multifamily properties. The program does not require an approved contractor, but it does require a pre-installation job-site inspection. Rebates require projects meet certain criteria, including the installation address is in a qualifying climate zone; the products to be installed are listed with the Cool Roof Rating Council; the building has central air conditioning or concurrent installation of a new air conditioning system; and proof of purchase.

Each utility company has its own rules and ways of governing those rules. In your effort to help your customers navigate a sometimes confusing process, it's important to understand the rules. Your customers have access to the information, and so should you.

Stand apart from competitors

Take advantage of the many tools and resources available through your local utility companies and government bodies. Partnering with your customers to provide them with the most energy-efficient roof systems while providing them financial incentives to choose these roof systems ultimately will help your customers and your business. Stand apart from the competition by providing solutions to your customers. The result will be satisfied customers, referrals and energy-efficient buildings that are better for the environment—a win for everyone.

Melissa Mulligan is marketing manager for Polyglass U.S.A. Inc., Deerfield Beach, Fla.

For articles related to this topic, see:

"A worthy initiative," August 2011 issue
"Environment matters," December 2009 issue
"More opportunities," March 2009 issue