Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

The Impact of Roof Color on Schools' Energy Efficiency

  • By Craig A. Tyler
  • 03/01/16

The most energy-efficient roof is always one that is geographically appropriate, durable, and well installed. Roof color can have a significant impact — positive or negative — on a school building’s overall energy consumption. In order to select the most energy-efficient roof color for a particular project, it is important to consider the building’s location and use. Schools are different than many other buildings, because they are typically closed during the summer months. Therefore, for school projects, it is important to select the roof color that will be most energy-efficient during the months that classes are in session.

In cities where it is necessary for schools to air condition their buildings for the majority of the nine-month school year, reflective roofs such as TPO, PVC, white EPDM and ballasted systems are ideal because they reflect sunlight and help keep buildings cool, thus reducing air conditioning use and energy consumption. Further north, where the majority of the school year occurs during the heating season, dark-colored roofs like black EPDM are more energy-efficient because they absorb heat, which allows insulation to work more effectively to keep the building warm.

Selecting the right roof color is an easy way to decrease a school’s energy consumption. Conversely, choosing the wrong roof color can be a costly mistake: One study found that in northern climates during the heating season, the thermal heat loss associated with a white membrane is 30 percent higher than that of black EPDM. Because a roof is a long-term investment, choosing the right color can help reduce a school’s energy consumption and increase its sustainability for decades. Tools like the U.S. Department of Energy’s Roof Savings Calculator, which can be found at rsc.ornl.gov, can help schools determine the most energy-efficient roof color for their building.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

About the Author

Craig A. Tyler, AIA, CSI, CDT, LEED AP BD+C, is an architect and specification developer with Carlisle Construction Materials.

Featured

  • Indiana Wesleyan University Schedules Grand Opening for New Welcome Center

    Indiana Wesleyan University recently announced that it will soon open a new Welcome Center on its campus in Marion, Ind., according to a news release. The facility will serve as the home base for prospective students and their families to learn more about the university and student life there. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for February 19.

  • Philadelphia Middle School Facility Earns LEED Gold Certification

    The Alternative Middle Years (AMY) at James Martin Middle School in Philadelphia, Penn., recently received a LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, according to a news release. The School District of Pennsylvania partnered with KSS Architects on the project.

  • Niles West High School Natatorium Renovation

    Natatoriums are highly specialized spaces, and luminaires in this setting face several unique challenges. Perhaps the most significant is corrosion, which is exacerbated by high indoor humidity, condensation, and pool chemicals, often resulting in material degradation in luminaires not certified to perform in corrosive environments.

  • Vanderbilt to Partner with ABM for Campus Preservation and Modernization

    Vanderbilt University recently announced that it has selected ABM Performance Solutions for a preservation and modernization project at its New York City campus, according to a news release. ABM will deliver its end-to-end ABM Performance Solutions (APS) model to manage critical operations during renovation and maintenance.