cool roofs – California Climate and Energy Collaborative

New Study: Cool Roofs’ Effect on Urban Heat Island in Chicago

June 1, 2016

air quality, best practices, building envelope, buildings, cool roofs, energy efficiency, HVAC, publications, weekly updates

As shared by EurekAlert.org, a new study has reviewed the potential for cool roofs and green roofs to reduce urban heat island effect and improve air quality in the City of Chicago. Read below for highlights, or visit EurekAlert.org here. (more…)

Cool Roofs Code Support: Completed Cost-Effectiveness Study for All Climate Zones

April 15, 2016

Sarina Soor

building energy efficiency standards, building envelope, CEC, codes and standards, cool roofs, PG&E, reach codes, RECO/CECO, SCE, SCG, SDG&E

With the passage of the new 2016 Building Energy Efficiency Standards (BEES) last year, local governments will have the latter half of this calendar year to (more…)

City of Beaumont Approves Final “Sustainable Beaumont” Climate Action Plan

November 4, 2015

Sarina Soor

AB 802, best practices, climate action plans, commercial, cool roofs, demand response, EE community programs, EE municipal programs, electric vehicles, energy efficiency, incentives, inland empire, lighting, Local Governments in Action, permitting, residential, SCE, southern california, Title 24, training, transportation

Last week, Beaumont’s City Council approved the City’s Sustainable Beaumont Climate Action Plan. The Plan, prepared by Atkins and funded through the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), sets a number of goals, including: Provision of resources (education, training, audits, retrofits, and an Environmental Advocate) and working with regional groups and utilities to improve both…

How Does a Roof Quality as Cool Roof?

June 2, 2015

Sarina Soor

best practices, building envelope, buildings, CEC, cool roofs, energy efficiency, financing, funding, green building, incentives, PG&E, SCE

Installation of a “cool roof” can be a great way to reflect sunlight rather than having a building absorb it, thereby reducing a building’s thermal load, saving energy, money, improving building comfort, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. To provide guidance on what it takes for a roof to be considered a cool roof, the CEC has…

Interactive Map Reveals Rooftop Reflectance for Five California Cities

September 25, 2014

Sarina Soor

ARB, bay area, building envelope, buildings, central valley, cool roofs, HVAC, northern california, publications, southern california

The below is shared from Berkeley Lab in a September 2014 news release. Learn more here. How cool is your roof? If you live in the California cities of Bakersfield, Long Beach, Los Angeles, San Francisco, or San Jose, you may be able to find out. (more…)

Los Angeles Unanimously Passes Ordinance Requiring Cool Roofs

January 25, 2014

Sarina Soor

building envelope, codes and standards, cool roofs, HVAC, Local Governments in Action, reach codes, southern california, southern coast

Read below or get more coverage from ThinkProgress here or LADWP News here. “On Tuesday the Los Angeles City Council unanimously passed a building code update that will require all new and refurbished homes to have cool roofs, which use sunlight-reflecting materials. Los Angeles is the first major city to require such a measure, which…

City of Sacramento’s Climate Action Plan

March 10, 2012

Sarina Soor

best practices, buildings, central valley, cool roofs, educational programs, EE programs, incentives, Local Governments in Action, microgrid, multi-family, PACE, RECO/CECO, renewables/DERs, residential

The City of Sacramento’s Climate Action Plan, adopted February 2012, includes a municipal and community greenhouse gas inventory, and exploration of energy efficiency strategies such as: partnering with utilities on behavioral educational programs, supporting SMUD’s microgrid project, coordinating with SMUD on appliance and lighting rebate programs, custom and prescriptive incentive programs, and multi-family retrofits, retrofitting…

Cool Roof Design Brief Available

March 2, 2012

Sarina Soor

best practices, building envelope, buildings, CEC, cool roofs, cost-effectiveness, energy efficiency, HVAC, PG&E, publications, Title 24

A cool roof design brief is available on PG&E’s website, produced by Energy Design Resources. Click here to access the brief and learn about what qualifies as a cool roof, and what the benefits are – including lower thermal burden, savings in building conditioning, and credits and incentives. For more on cool roofs, click here.