Metal’s Benefits

Energy Efficient Roofing

Americans spend about $40 billion annually to air condition buildings – which equates to about one sixth of all electricity generated in this country. Studies conducted by the Cool Metal Roofing Coalition and Oak Ridge National Laboratory have shown that metal roofing with Energy Star certified high reflectance paint systems can save you up to 40% on cooling costs when compared to typical asphalt roof shingles.

Your typical dark asphalt roof shingle absorbs most of the solar radiation that hits it, consequently making your attic a very hot place during the summer months. On the contrary, Energy Star certified metal roofing works by reflecting a high percentage of the sun’s energy back into the atmosphere, providing energy efficient roofing, lowering attic temperatures and subsequent cooling loads.

Union offers several metal roof colors that are Energy Star certified. In order to meet Energy Star criteria, the energy efficient roof has to have a total solar reflectance of at least 25%, which means that the energy efficient roof reflects 25% of the sun’s energy. In general, lighter colors have better reflectivity, with energy efficient colors such as white having a reflectivity that exceeds 60%. Furthermore, Energy Star certified roofs have to maintain a reflectance of at least 15% after three years of real-world exposure testing. The higher the reflectance, the more money you can potentially save. You can find out which metal roof colors are Energy Star certified by checking out the “Colors & Performance Grades” section on the home page.