The premise that “The whiter, and therefore, more reflective the roof, the lower the electric bill” was explored in a study conducted by FPL over a four-month period. The study “quantifies cooling performance on identical residences during realistic weather conditions,” said Craig Muccio, conservation program evaluation coordinator for FPL.

“The results of the study clearly demonstrate that white, galvanized metal roofing material saves the most energy as a result of its high reflectance and superior ability to cool quickly at night. This information, when applied, will not only result in lower energy consumption and cooling costs for the single-family resident in Florida, but for residents throughout the southern United States.”

According to the results, a white galvanized metal roof should save customers living in an average-size, 1,770-sq-ft home approximately $128, or 23%, on annual cooling costs, when compared with a dark gray shingle roof on the same home.

For more information about the study, visit www.fpl.com (website)

Publication date: 02/19/2001