ORNL Study: Thermal Emittance Assessment for California Energy Code

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Shiny, bare and acrylic-coated metals have a low thermal emittance and therefore do not comply with the cool roof prescriptive requirements specified in the State of California’s 2005 Energy Code (Title 24). This 23-page parametric study—commissioned by the metal roofing industry and conducted by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)—evaluates the tradeoff between solar reflectance and thermal emittance as applied to the concept of cool roofing in the California code, and investigates the interdependence of thermal emittance, solar reflectance and roof insulation on low-slope roof heat transfer for nonresidential buildings in each of California’s 16 climate zones. The objective was to prove that roof products with low thermal emittance numbers can be used to create the types of energy efficient roof assemblies the code seeks to ensure.

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To learn more about cool metal roofing and the Cool Metal Roofing Coalition, visit www.coolmetalroofing.org.

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