As our climate becomes hotter, the roofs we install, replace and restore provide an opportunity to reduce solar heat absorption, improve building performance and help communities better prepare for increasing temperatures and more frequent extreme heat events.
CoolRoofsBC provides independent, evidence-based information to help make those roofing decisions better informed.
Understanding Cool Roofing
Cool roofing uses roofing materials and systems designed to reduce the amount of solar heat absorbed by a roof. By reflecting more incoming solar energy and efficiently releasing absorbed heat, cool roofs can remain significantly cooler than conventional dark roofs exposed to the same conditions.
Reducing roof temperatures can help reduce heat entering buildings, lower cooling requirements, improve indoor conditions during hot weather and contribute to reducing heat accumulation within communities.
Why Cool Roofing Matters in British Columbia
British Columbia is experiencing hotter summers and more frequent periods of extreme heat. The roofs covering our homes, businesses, public buildings and other structures represent an important and often overlooked opportunity to help buildings and communities better prepare for these changing conditions.
Roofing decisions made today can remain in place for decades. Considering cool roofing when roofs are installed, replaced or restored can therefore provide long-term opportunities to improve building performance, reduce heat gain and contribute to more heat-resilient communities.
Cool Roof Options
Cool roofing is not a single product or one solution for every building. Opportunities can arise at different stages in the life of a roof.
Suitable existing roofs may sometimes be extended through the use of reflective roof-coating systems. Roofs reaching the end of their service life provide an opportunity to replace conventional roofing with more reflective alternatives. Roofing decisions can also provide opportunities to power up buildings by considering the relationship between cool roofing and rooftop solar.
Information and Resources
CoolRoofsBC is working to make reliable, evidence-based cool-roofing information more readily available in British Columbia. The website provides information about how cool roofing works, its potential building and community benefits, available roofing options and why cool roofing is increasingly relevant as BC prepares for a hotter future.
As resources are developed, the Cool Roof Knowledge Base is intended to provide access to research, technical information, case studies and examples of policies and programs that can help governments, building owners, industry professionals, community organizations and the public make better-informed roofing decisions.
Supporting Community Action
Increasing awareness and adoption of cool roofing will also require action at the community level. The Cool Roofs Ambassador Program is being developed to support locally led efforts by providing information, resources, communications materials and opportunities for communities to share experience and successful approaches.
CoolRoofsBC is also pursuing a number of planned initiatives, dependent on funding and partnerships, intended to expand the information, tools and resources available to communities across the Province.
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