Did you ever wonder why the eccentric old Southern gentlemen in movies like “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” always dressed in a white suit? What did they know about dressing for a hot climate before the invention of air conditioning? Change the channel to Comedy Central’s “Daily Show” for a clue. Energy Secretary Steven Chu appeared there recently to popularize white roofs. If homeowners in sunny places like Florida and Texas would redecorate light-absorbing dark exteriors with white, the energy saving will be enormous. Also 24 billion metric tons in carbon dioxide emissions could be prevented.
Research on roof colors at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory has confirmed the principle that Southern gentleman dress by, white is cooler. The old fashioned tin roofs on light colored houses reflected rather than absorbing heat. With the advent of air conditioning, preferred home styles in the warm climate began to resemble those in cooler one. Asphalt, bitumen and tar roofs help to retain heat in Northern homes, but force an air conditioner to work harder. They found that a white coating on a smooth surface reflects 80% of the sun’s rays and has a temperature rise of only 15 degrees over the surrounding air. By contrast, a black shingle roof absorbs a whopping 95% and causes a 90 degree temperature increase.
For the homeowner interested in enjoying the energy savings of a white roof, the website of American Roof tile Coatings is an excellent starting point. It contains a full discussion of the advantages of Cooltile IR Coatings and links to qualified roofing contractors. Some states including Georgia and California currently offer tax credit for upgrading to a white roof. The Environmental Protection Agency also provides tax credit under the Energy Star Program. Maybe that cat on the tin roof was hot, but the white-suited man was comfortable inside without air conditioning. With 21st century materials and a variety of available tax credits, the modern homeowner can enjoy summer for less money and energy.
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