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Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Intall White Roofs to Slow Global Warming
For decades, builders have known
that white roofs reflect the sun's rays and lower the cost of air conditioning. Now, scientists have determined that white
roofs have quantified a new benefit, which is to slow global warming.
California has required flat commercial structures
to have white roofs since 2005. In 2009, new and retrofitted residential and commercial buildings, with both flat and sloped
roofs, will have to install heat-reflecting roofing.
According to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, a 1,000-square-foot
roof, the average size on an American home, offsets 10 metric tons of planet-heating carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere
if white roofing material is used to replace dark-colored shingles or coatings.
5:52 pm pdt
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