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

  • UT System Board of Regents Approves $108M Housing Complex

    The University of Texas System Board of Regents recently announced the approval of a new, $108-million housing complex at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), according to a news release. The facility will stand four stories and have a total of 456 new beds for freshmen students.

  • Benson Polytechnic High School in Portland, OR

    Preserving Legacy, Designing for the Future

    As historic academic buildings age, institutions face a difficult decision: preserve and adapt or demolish and rebuild. How do we honor the legacy of these spaces while adapting them to meet the needs of modern learners?

  • California School District Completes Elementary School Modernization

    The San Diego Unified School District in San Diego, Calif., recently held a ribbon-cutting for a whole-site modernization of Pacific Beach Elementary School, according to local news. The school first opened with one building in 1930 and added six more between 1938 and 1957.

  • Wisconsin District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    The School District of La Crosse in La Crosse, Wis., recently broke ground on a new elementary school that will consolidate the students and staff of two existing schools, according to local news. Funding for the school comes from a $53-million referendum approved in 2024.