Things Are Looking Up
By Scott Kriner, Green Metal Consulting Inc.
We often hear the saying, “My energy bills are going through the roof!”. This is often considered to be a figure of speech. But in reality, the saying can be taken literally.
A large portion of our cooling energy bill is influenced by the type of roof on our buildings. The roof surface is responsible for the majority of the solar gain through the building envelope. The solar energy that comes through a roof increases the cooling load placed on the HVAC equipment inside the building. The use of insulation, radiant barriers and cool roof surfaces can minimize that solar gain.
There is even evidence that the roof systems of the future will be able to eliminate the gain completely. In theory, this can be accomplished with a specific combination of cool roof products, insulation, air spaces, radiant barriers, phase change materials, ventilation and other barriers. For now, this is a concept that needs to be tested. Plans are underway to validate the modeling and theory behind this impressive concept.
Imagine a roof system that can eliminate heat from being conducted into the attic cavity or living space in warm climates, and also blocking heat from escaping in cooler climates. Note the emphasis on the word “system” in that statement. A cool metal roof product can be one component of this type of system. Obviously, if we can reflect away solar energy immediately, we have less energy being conducted through the roof that needs to be dissipated through other means. In any of the systems under consideration, a cool roof is an integral component for the future.
The same system concept can also be applied to metal walls. The metals industry is already discussing the possibility of partnering with a major research laboratory to investigate how progressive concepts like these can be incorporated into metal roof and wall systems. Tomorrow’s roofs and walls may appear similar to today’s products, from the street, but below or behind the exterior cool metal surface, the systems of the future will look like nothing we see today.
So if you want to save some money on your energy bill, look up! The answer may be on the roof.
Scott Kriner is the president and founder of Green Metal Consulting Inc. He is a LEED Accredited Professional with more than 25 years of metal construction industry experience. His company is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council, the California Association of Building Energy Consultants and the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET). Scott can be reached by email at skriner1@verizon.net, or by phone at (610) 966-2430.