Health & Comfort
Cool roofs reduce the heat transfer into a building, which means ceilings under cool roofs are cooler, and your rooms are as well. During hot summers, cooler is more comfortable. For those homes without air conditioning, cool roofs can provide an important public health benefit during heat waves.
YouTube Video
Video source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Weather Channel
Connecting Public Heath and Cool Roof
In Philadelphia there is a program which adds cool roofs and insulation to residential buildings that lack air conditioning to help curb heat-related illnesses and deaths.
White roofs on urban row houses in Philadelphia, PA |
Installing cool roofs lowered the daily maximum ceiling surface temperature by about 4.7°F (2.6°C), while daily maximum room temperature dropped by about 2.4°F (1.3°C). On a 95°F (35°C) day, these types of reductions represent large reductions in heat gain to the room and significantly improve perceived human comfort.
Citation: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency- Reducing Urban Heat Islands: Compendium of Strategies — Cool Roofs