"Green"
Metal Roofs are considered "Green" because they are 100% recyclable at the end of their life. Metal Roofs are also made with a minimum of 25% recycled material.

"Cool" Metal Roofs
A "Cool" Metal Roof color meets the EPA Energy Star compliance standards and reflects heat to effectively reduce cooling loads in the summer, which could save up to 40% on cooling costs. In cities, "Cool" Metal Roofs help to counteract urban heat island effects which include temperatures 5 to 10 degrees hotter than outlying areas, generating their own rain, increased photochemical smog, and changes in regional weather patterns.

"Cool" Roofing Terms:
(SRI) SOLAR REFLECTANCE INDEX
Is calculated in accordance with ASTM E1980, using the solar reflectivity value, emissivity, and a medium wind coefficient. The higher the SRI value the lower its surface temperature and consequently, the heat gain into the building.

(SRV) SOLAR REFLECTANCE VALUE
It is the fraction of the total solar energy that is reflected away from a surface. It is expressed as a percentage from 0 to 100% or as a decimal from 0 to 1.00. A material with a low solar reflectance value absorbs much of the solar energy rather than reflecting it. This term is sometimes referred to as "solar reflectance".

EMISSIVITY
The ability of a material to radiate the heat energy that builds up in the material from absorbed or non-reflected solar energy. The emitted energy is in the far infrared part of the spectrum. The amount of re-emitted energy is in direct proportion to a roof surface's thermal emittance value. It is expressed as a percentage from 0 to 100% or as a decimal from 0 to 1.00. A material with a very high thermal emittance would re-emit much of its thermal energy to the night sky and help to reduce the surface temperature of the roof. This term is sometimes referred to as "thermal emittance".

(LEED) The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
LEED is a green building certification system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to verify that a building (commercial, residential, or post frame) was built to improve energy, efficiency, emissions, indoor quality, and resources. LEED certified buildings also qualify for tax credits. "Cool" Metal Roof products are eligible for points in the LEED program.

Case for "Cool"
COST SAVINGS
An ORNL* report compared two schools built with identical footprints and a green standing-seam metal roof. The roof colors were the same, but one used ULTRA-Cool® technology while the other used a traditional coating system. In a controlled test, heating and cooling costs for both schools were monitored. The result? $8,000 annual net savings in energy in the first year for the school with a cool roof, after the fourth year of use the savings were approximately $15,000 due to the escalation of energy costs.**

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Reflectance and emissivity degradation data reported by the ORNL*, for panels exposed in different regions of the U.S., show only a 5% loss in reflectance for a period of three years exposure for low-slope and steep-slope roofs. Other roofing substrates (e.g. PVC and EPDM) lose reflectance much sooner and require a high degree of maintenance to equal the performance of metal roofing with ULTRA-Cool® coatings. **

*ORNL = Oak Ridge National Laboratories
**Data available on request