NJ Install of a Super Therm White Roof Obama/Chu Initiative cool roof

www.NJRenewableEnergy.com


US Energy Secretary Steven Chu said Tuesday the Obama administration wanted to paint roofs an energy-reflecting white, as he took part in a climate change symposium in London.

The Nobel laureate in physics called for a new revolution in energy generation to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

But he warned there was no silver bullet for tackling climate change, and said a range of measures should be introduced, including painting flat roofs white.

Making roads and roofs a paler colour could have the equivalent effect of taking every car in the world off the road for 11 years, Chu said.

It was a geo-engineering scheme that was completely benign and would keep buildings cooler and reduce energy use from air conditioning, as well as reflecting sunlight back away from the Earth.

I would add that by reducing the urban heat island effect (along with shade tree planting), white roofs are also the lowest cost adaptation strategy, directly cooling a city. So it is perhaps the one true triple play in climate — mitigation, geo-engineering, and adaptation — that is also both low-cost and scalable.

For people who found white hard on the eye, scientists had also developed cool colours which looked to the human eye like normal ones, but reflect heat like pale colours even if they are darker shades.

And painting cars in cool or light colours could deliver considerable savings on energy use for air conditioning units, he said.

Speaking at the start of a symposium on climate change hosted by the Prince of Wales and attended by more than 20 Nobel laureates, Chu said fresh thinking was required to cut the amount of carbon created by power generation.

He said: The industrial revolution was a revolution in the use of energy. It offloaded from human and animal power into using fossil fuels.

We have to go to a different new revolution that can severely decrease the amount of carbon emissions in the generation of energy.

Since I have been writing about white roofs and urban heat island mitigation (UHIM) for a long time, the readers who sent me this clip wrote:

Chu and Obama are listening to you on this!

While I suppose thats possible — Im told people at DOE and the White House do read this blog — in fact there is a far more plausible explanation. The person who introduced me to white roofs and UHIM more than a decade and a half ago, the person with whom I co-authored numerous articles on this subject — including this 1997 Technology Review overview article, Paint the Town Whiteand Green — is California Energy Commissioner Art Rosenfeld.

Rosenfeld co-developed this whole new geo-engineering analysis with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratorys Hashem Akbari. You can read their non-technical summary, White Roofs Cool the World, Directly Offset CO2 and Delay Global Warming. And Rosenfeld is a friend of Chus, which is no surprise since they are both (brilliant) physicists and former LBNL scientists who focus on energy energy issues.

But provenance aside, if the U.S. Energy Secretary is publicly advancing white/reflective roofs at an international meeting, that means you can expect serious national and even international action on this important climate strategy.

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[redbaroncarwash]

I've been selling roofs for for the family business 32 years...never crossed my mind to use Obama's name to help. :-) Selling to homeowners (voters), that might be a decent strategy, because as we now know, 53% of them are dumber'n a rock. But most business owners with flat roofs aren't nearly stupid enough to buy anything that has Obama's name attached to it.

[the43k]

@red Agreed.I would be leery to support any particular party through a business, since you are bound to offend half the population.This project was at my home however and I was trying to support and promote Steven Chu's white roof initiative.It would also be great if Americans could objectively review a president's policy on a case by case basis. Rather then just hating him because foxnews said so. Like the old saying goes, even a broken watch is right twice a day. Not that obama is broken.

[redbaroncarwash]

@the43k Oh make no mistake, Obama is badly broken.

I'm fortunate in that 32 years in the roofing business has afforded me the opportunity to say what I think politically without it costing me. I think Obama is a highly destructive clown, and if that offends any of my customers, they can use someone else.

However, that is highly unlikely as we do only large strip centers and 90% of owners smart enough to own a strip shopping center, also know that Obama is an anti-business clown.

[the43k]

My guess is that you're a Walmart republican who spends 2 much time watching foxnews. Obama is so moderate its unfortunate.How do I know this?Well, the right wing nut jobs hate him and the liberal left is pissed he's not doing enough.I only wish you and your "smart owners", understood that GWB destroyed this nation in so many ways its going 2 take decades 2 put the pieces back together.But if it helps u go 2 sleep at night that its somehow Obamas fault and that he's bad for business.Good 4 U.

[whitesites]

Even though I am not sure our HOA would react to a white roof, if the only goal of this is to lower the attic temperatures, then getting 2 - 3 solar powered vents on the roof might get the job done too. Except the decent ones cost around $500 and that doesn't include installation.

[the43k]

@whitesites not as effective. The point being, its always better to prevent the heat gain rather than to mediate it afterwards. Plus mediating it, take far longer. But the truth be said, this is a far better application for commercial flat roofs.

[the43k]

If you don't want to put it on your roof don't. But you're wrong. The energy savings in the summer can be massive. It also has insulative properties so it will prevent heat loss in the winter (heat trying to escape out thru roof). Lastly, the sun is at a far lower angle in the winter and out for a shorter period of time. You are not getting significant heat gain thru your roof during winter. Japan has used this produce for decades with millions of hours of data to prove it works.

[lookingforthemeaning]

@1framistan yes the old ways are the best ways :-) by adding small amounts natural curd cheese(smooth) you can make it weather resistant. the kasein protine causes waterproofing. no joke no it doesnt smell

[redbaroncarwash]

@the43k Scary that you actually believe any of that. You're a shining example of what is wrong with this country.

You're obviously pretty much a rookie at the roofing business - trust me, it shows in so many ways. Once you have managed to stay in business for a length of time (doubtful) you will learn that Obama'a socialist idealism is contrary to the free enterprise spirit that built this country.

I'd be shocked if you last long enough in business to learn that lesson.

[w1ngit1]

@dieselplow

When I had a townhouse in Scotsdale I thought about painting the whole house with a reflective paint. I found that most paints can only be used on a flat surface or one with a gentle slope. CoolnCoat is one that can be used on a flat, sloped or vertical surface. There may be others. Good luck.

[OddTimeMan]

Very informative. Nice job!

[wezzoz1]

@whitesites i wouldnt do it its just gonna make a leak over time and your roof will last less and look like shit