Sanford & Hawley, Inc.
Quality Lumber and Building Materials Since 1884

Industry Update:
What you and Your Customer should Know about Energy Star.

It's important for you to become familiar with the Energy Star pro gram as it pertains to roof products. That's because there are certain claims made by the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) indicating homeowners can save $10 to $100 per year per 1,076 square feet (97M2) of roof surface area by increasing the roof system reflectance by 34 percent to 61 percent.

Don't think homeowners won't mention these claims, as both agency's have sponsored education al programs promoting them. Many homeowners, too, will expect these savings. But for the benefit of the homeowner, and in order to assure customer satisfaction, you need to balance product performance with realistic expectations.

Be careful when quantifying the potential savings from Energy Star approved light colored or reflective roof coverings, because actual savings depend on several factors, many of which aren't controlled by you or the homeowner. Weather, for one, can have a direct impact on savings. More money will be saved during an unusually hot, sunny summer than during a cool, cloudy summer. Actual savings need to be averaged out over a number of years. Similarly, energy savings are affected by air-conditioning equipment, insulation, and air pollution, which can soil a roof surface and reduce its reflectance.

It's probably not best to ignore the Energy Star program or dismiss the appeal of its potential savings. The DOE and EPA do believe that light colored or reflective roof coverings can reduce home cooling costs. They also believe such roofing products can increase the service life of a roofing system by limiting the absorption of heat and sun light. These are all strong selling points.