The ideal time to install a cool roof is when your current roof needs replacing, not before. Explore potential savings of different roofing scenarios and check out the calculators to estimate your potential savings when you select a cool roof.

Sample Savings

Jane needs to reroof his house in Sacramento. She currently has a dark blue metal roof and needs to replace it. A local roofing contractor gave her two options: select a traditional metal roof or a cool metal roof. There is a slight cost premium ($0.05 per square foot) for the cool roof option so Jane wants to know if a cool roof is going to be a better long term investment than a traditional roof.

Sample Savings: Cool Metal Roof Retrofit
Annual Cooling Energy Savings	426 kWh
Annual Heating Energy Penalty	10 therms
Lifetime Energy Cost Savings*	$1,172
Initial Cost Premium	$100     (2,000 ft2 x $0.05 /ft2)
Net Lifetime Cost Savings	$1,072   ($1,172-$100)

*Present value of energy savings assuming that the lifetime of the metal roof is 30 years.

Richard is building a new home with a sloped roof (2,500 ft²). Richard’s friend suggested that he install a cool roof to save on cooling energy during hot summer months in Riverside. Richard wants to know how much he can save over the life of his roof by installing a cool concrete tile roof on his new home.

Sample Savings: New Cool Concrete Tile Roof
Annual Cooling Energy Savings	565 kWh
Annual Heating Energy Penalty	13 therms
Lifetime Energy Cost Savings*	$1,582
Initial Cost Premium	$0
Net Lifetime Cost Savings	$1,582

* Present value of energy savings assuming that the lifetime of the tile roof is 30 years.

Financing and Incentives

• Public utility providers, local government agencies, and other entities may provide rebates and incentives. The Cool Roof Rating Council lists several active programs. 
• Property-Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Financing Programs: PACE programs allow property owners to finance energy efficiency, water efficiency, and renewable energy investments through a voluntary assessment on their property tax bills. The following PACE programs allow for such financing on qualifying cool roof purchases for residential properties.
• Go Green Financing: California homeowners and tenants can use the GoGreen Financing online platform to find participating lenders and contractors to finance and install their energy efficiency upgrades.

Roof Savings Calculator

Developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), in collaboration with the US Department of Energy (DOE) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Roof Savings Calculator estimates annual energy savings for cool roof retrofits for both residential and commercial buildings.