The desert climate of Las Vegas poses distinct challenges for energy efficiency in homes and businesses. One remedy that is becoming increasingly popular is cool roofing. Cool roofs are intended to do the opposite of what standard roofs do: reflect sunlight and absorb less heat. This helps to address what scientists term the urban heat effect, in which pavement and building surfaces cause an area to get hotter and stay hotter. Cool roofs are no silver bullet—but a combination of them with other practices can significantly lower energy use. And the combination of roof and underlying building can determine a place's energy efficiency. You have a lot of choices when it comes to cool roofing. Selecting what best suits your property needs and personal tastes can make a significant energy efficiency impact.
Las Vegas residents have a range of roofing options to choose from if they want to keep their homes cooler. Reflective roof coatings are a versatile choice. They can be applied to nearly any existing roof type and enhance the rooftop's reflective properties. Roofing materials like reflective asphalt shingles, standing seam metal roofing, and tile roofing can be more reflective right out of the gate compared with conventional roofing. Stone-coated metal roofs are an option that not only give the durability and long life associated with a metal roof, but also are a significantly sunnier-side-up choice, reflecting a good amount of sunlight. For an organic eco-friendly option, green roofs represent an insulating layer of plants that helps regulate a building's temperature. When considering these options, many factors come into play, from building design to budget to long-term roofing goals.
Las Vegas stands to gain a lot more than just enhanced energy efficiency from the installation of cool roofs. Beyond the obvious reduction in cooling energy use and associated costs, cool roofs can deliver safer, healthier, and more productive work environments and a "life span" for residential roof systems that is more than twice as long as that of conventional roofs. Business owners will also appreciate that many of the cool roofing solutions recommended by professionals are likely to qualify for local or federal rebates that can help offset material and installation costs. Commercial and residential property owners must ultimately work with knowledgeable roofing professionals to realize all these benefits. Yet in both cases, the right cool roofing solution can make the Las Vegas experience much more comfortable and sustainable.
