Cool roofs can save 15 percent on cooling costs in California’s climate

Cool-roof material choices have expanded from reflective paint to vinyl sheeting, light-colored gravel and other roofing products designed to reflect 90 percent of sunlight. A reflective white roof might heat up only a fifth as much as a dark roof compared to ambient air temperature. In 2004, according to the California Energy Commission, the typical California household used about 600 kilowatt hours of power to run air conditioning. Conserving 15 percent of cooling costs by making roofs cooler would have made a significant dent in peak power consumption.