New Atlanta Law Requires ‘Cool Roofs’

Atlanta is the latest U.S. city to mandate ‘cool roof’ treatments on new buildings, reports Matt Simon in a story for Grist republished in Next City. Requiring reflective roofs is “a simple, relatively cheap, and effective way to save people from extreme heat” and improve the energy efficiency of buildings.

While other cities’ ordinances only apply to flat roofs, Atlanta’s new law applies to all new construction (not existing buildings). “The Smart Surfaces Coalition — a nonprofit that works with cities to enact cool roof ordinances — estimates that Atlanta’s new building code will cool the city overall by 2.4 degrees Fahrenheit during peak summer temperatures, and by as much as 6.3 degrees in the city’s hottest neighborhoods.” The move could result in $310 million in energy savings over a 35-year period.

Simon points out that cool roof treatments keep working on their own, require little maintenance, and can cost even less than a traditional roof. “They also extend the life of a roof because there’s less wear and tear of the material expanding in the heat, then contracting when it cools down.” Cooler buildings reduce the need for air conditioning, which blows hot air outside the home and raises energy costs. “And if the grid goes down because too many people are running their AC and other appliances at once, everyone’s now at much higher risk.”