When selecting a cool roof paint color consider two factors the slope of the roof and the environment. Cool roof systems can reduce energy consumption providing significant cost savings while helping to mitigate urban heat islands.
Urban heat island effect: is a metropolitan area which is considerably warmer than surrounding rural areas due to urban development. The main cause is the changes in landscape by urban development which uses surfaces and materials that retain heat.
Look for colors which meet LEED & Energy Star reflectivity and emissivity performance level requirements to help mitigate urban heat islands. Reflectivity is the deflection of solar energy from a surface. Roofs with a slope of 2:12 or greater generate less of a heat island effect than lower-sloped roofs. Less energy is used to cool a building when the roof has greater reflectivity abilities. Both suppliers we work with Nucor and Garco have roof paint colors which meet these performance level requirements.
Color | Solar Reflectance (R) |
Thermal Emissivity (E) |
Solar Reflectance Index (SRI) |
Color | Solar Reflectance (R) |
Thermal Emissivity (E) |
Solar Reflectance Index (SRI) |
Burnished Slate | 0.31 | 0.86 | 32 | Dark Bronze | 0.29 | 0.85 | 29 |
Evergreen | 0.26 | 0.86 | 25 | Cypress Green | 0.30 | 0.87 | 31 |
Aztec Blue | 0.25 | 0.86 | 24 | Royal Blue | 0.30 | 0.86 | 30 |
Brick Red | 0.32 | 0.83 | 32 | Terra Cotta | 0.35 | 0.85 | 36 |
Sagebrush Tan | 0.47 | 0.85 | 53 | Surrey Beige | 0.51 | 0.86 | 58 |
Fox Gray | 0.43 | 0.85 | 47 | Medium Gray | 0.37 | 0.87 | 40 |
Light stone | 0.59 | 0.87 | 70 | Warm White | 0.59 | 0.88 | 70 |
Polar White | 0.66 | 0.86 | 79 | Regal White | 0.72 | 0.86 | 87 |
Unpainted GalvalumeĀ® | 0.68 | 0.10 | 56 | Pearl Gray (IMP only) |
0.50 | 0.87 | 57 |