The federal Department of Energy and possibly other federal agencies will build cool roofs on their structures as part of a plan to reduce energy bills and slash greenhouse gas emissions.

The agency said cool roofs will be installed on new or replacement roofs whenever it makes economic sense. Already, the National Nuclear Security Administration - a separate agency within the DOE - has installed more than 2 million square feet of cool and white roofs across the country, saving an estimated $500,000 per year in energy costs.

The NNSA has reduced heating and cooling costs an estimated 70% annually through cool roofs and more insulation. Expectations call for $10 million in savings over a decade.

This summer, the DOE plans to begin reroofing a total of 350,000 square feet at its headquarters in Washington D.C. and national labs in Idaho Falls, Idaho, and Upton, N.Y.

A recent study by the DOE's own Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that cool roofs and cool pavements can trim the demand for air conditioning, decrease temperatures for entire cities and potentially cancel the heating effect of up to two years of carbon dioxide emissions.

The DOE is encouraging fellow federal agencies to follow suit. While not using cool roofs, the Federal Bureau of Prisons is installing solar power, geothermal and biomass heating systems at two facilities.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative energy. The SJVCEO works with cities and counties and public and private organizations to demonstrate the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy throughout the eight-county region of the
central San Joaquin Valley

(Graphic by simcoolroofcoating.com)