During the last few years, the U.S. EPA, the U.S. DOE, energy service & utility companies, air quality management organizations, the roofing industry, and various public interest groups have heightened interest and involvement in Cool Roof Systems that save energy, extend roof life, reduce landfill waste and improve air quality. In February 1999, the U.S. EPA launched the ENERGY STAR® Roof Products Program aimed at promoting roofing products that meet specific criteria for surface reflectivity and potential energy efficiency.
National Coatings Corporation, a Charter Partner of the ENERGY STAR Roof Products Program, is a recognized leader in Cool Roof Systems for industrial and commercial buildings. R.E.S.T. (Roof Energy Savings Tool) software is an innovative modeling tool developed by National Coatings to help building owners and facility professionals evaluate various roofing systems in terms of their impact on building energy use. Energy use and cost results from R.E.S.T. can be coupled with other cost data in a comprehensive and financially rigorous Roof Life-Cycle Cost Model. This R.E.A.P. (Roof Energy & Asset Performance) Analysis provides building professionals with today's dollars cost comparisons between roof options being evaluated.
R.E.S.T. is a sophisticated program that accesses the National Weather Service climate data for NWS locations throughout the U.S. and uses building energy flow algorithms called DOE-2 that were developed at leading U.S. national laboratories. Realistic building energy requirements are simulated based on key input data that characterize important aspects of the building being evaluated, heating and air conditioning equipment in place, and the entire roof and ceiling assembly. More specifically, R.E.S.T. inputs include:
- General Building Information
- Building type and number of floors; roof surface area; nearest NWS data collection location.
- Building Envelope Information
- Wall construction type and insulation level; window-to-wall ratio; window and glass type.
- HVAC Information
- Set points and operating hours for heating and cooling equipment; equipment type and efficiency ratings; fuel and utility costs.
- Roof System Information
- Roof membrane type and surface reflectivity; roof insulation type and amount; deck type; below-deck insulation and ceiling construction.
Given these inputs, the DOE-2 model, and NWS data, R.E.S.T. allows National Coatings to provide reasonable yet conservative estimates of energy usage and savings associated with various Cool Roof Systems versus more traditional and less energy efficient roof types.
In order to receive a comprehensive R.E.S.T. analysis, please contact us, a National Coatings representative will work with you to perform the analysis and provide you with the results.