For years the energy savings benefits associated with light and white roofing materials has made theoretical sense to building owners, managers, architects and specifiers. This is particularly important to those located in sun belt regions where air conditioning costs can be a significant annual expense for the building owner or occupant. Such Air conditioning costs are nothing to dismiss lightly. According to the EPA, approximately $40 billion is spent annually in the U.S. to air condition buildings. This represents one-sixth of all electricity generated in the country each year. The good news, however, is that when reflective products are used, roof surface temperature can be lowered by up to 100º F, say EPA representatives.

Now research organizations, regulatory bodies and building standards-setting organizations are formally recognizing the energy saving benefits, as well as the environmental benefits, of white and light colored roofing systems.

This formal recognition is broad based. Proposed changes to the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) 90.1 Energy Efficient Standards recognize the energy saving benefits of reflective white roofing. Additionally, the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) has set standards for measuring the reflectivity of external building materials such as white roofing. The Environmental Protection Agency has recently established its Energy Star Roof Products Program so certain manufacturers will now be able to "label" their products with the Energy Star logo. In addition, the US Department of Energy funds efforts that encourage the use of white roofing, and the state of Georgia has enacted precedent setting "white roofing" legislation.

Two common themes run through these new developments: 1) instead of increasing a roofing system's insulation, a white roofing membrane can be used to reduce cooling energy consumption; and 2) white roofing benefits the urban environment by reducing the urban heat island effect and associated ozone levels affecting everyone.