Let’s Talk Green

Summer isn’t too far away and if you want to save energy—and money—then reflective cool roofs is the way to go. You can save energy with a cool roof in all climates. Building owners across the US in both hot and cold climates are subject to peak energy demand charges, which can represent 30 to 70 percent of a total commercial user’s electric bill. Reflective cool roofs are an efficient strategy to reduce peak demand power usage and result in a net energy savings.

Reflective Cool Roofs

A cool roof can benefit a building and its occupants by:

• Reducing energy bills by decreasing air conditioning needs
• Improving indoor comfort for spaces that are not air conditioned, such as garages or covered patios
• Decreasing roof temperature, which may extend roof service life.

Check out this video from the Department of Energy:

Reflective Cool Roofs Reduce Energy Costs

Consider the Best Long-term Solution

Keep in mind initial cost vs. life cycle cost. In most cases, the lowest cost option appears to be the most attractive, but not always the best long-term solution. Lower cost options tend to have shorter life cycles and increased maintenance costs resulting in replacements that are more frequent and unexpected out-of-pocket expenses. They typically offer the least amount of sustainability value as well. Re-roofing can easily cost 2-3 times that of a well-designed system and maintenance program on the front end. Consider life cycle costing for a greater ROI.

Be Proactive and Not Reactive

Another best practice to save money in the long rung is Proactive versus reactive maintenance. Being proactive is key to extending the life of your roofing system. Owners and facility managers who react to problems as they occur, pay an average of 25¢ per square foot annually for maintenance. Owners and facility managers who inspect and repair routinely (proactively) – before problems happen – spend an average of only 14¢ per square foot annually. Plus, proactively maintained roofs last an average of 21 years compared to an average lifespan of 13 years for reactive maintenance. The longer you can extend your roof’s life before replacement, the more your overall savings increase, and your life cycle costs decrease.

Contact BM Roofing Contractors today to help reduce energy costs and to save money!