Energy-Efficient Roof Shingles: Will a New Roof Save Energy?

When the summer heat starts, using your air conditioning around the clock can cause your energy bills to skyrocket along with the temperature. Energy-efficient roofing can help lower your energy usage by reflecting heat away from your roof and keeping your whole home cooler.

Find out more about energy-efficient roof shingles, cool roofing, ENERGY STAR® roof shingles, and other options to beat the heat.

What Is an Energy-Efficient Roof?

Many roofs in the U.S. use dark, non-reflective materials that absorb heat instead of reflecting it. This can lead to excessive heat buildup on the surface of the roof, which then transfers into your attic and home.

Good insulation can help with roof heat, but it doesn’t stop thermal energy from transferring into your attic. Once this happens, the excess heat transfers into your home – causing your air conditioning system to have to work harder than it should.

There are two factors that affect the roof’s ability to stay cool: the Solar Reflectance Index (SRI) and ventilation.

The SRI measures a roof’s ability to reject solar heat (solar reflectance) and release any heat that’s absorbed. The higher the SRI, the better the roof can reject heat. According to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, found that raising the SRI of a roof from 20 to 55 can lower the surface temperature by more than 13 degrees, which can translate to 20% savings on your energy bills.[1]

Lighter colors reflect heat better than darker colors, and some coatings can enhance reflectivity even more. This reflects the sun’s radiation away from your house, causing less heat to transfer to the attic and into your home.

The second factor is ventilation. Good ventilation can help prevent the heat that’s transferred into the attic from building up. For example, if the temperature outside is in the 90s, attic temperatures can hit 160℉. That heat needs somewhere to go, which will be inside of your home if there’s no ventilation. This not only raises the temperature inside your home but may damage your roof over time.

Residential roofs often use static vents, electric vents, or wind-powered vents for attic ventilation. Ideally, your roof ventilation should have a ratio of 1:300, or one square foot of ventilation for every 300 square feet of roof surface.[2] A roof contractor can help you create the appropriate attic ventilation.

What Are Energy-Efficient Roof Shingles?

Energy-efficient roof shingles are designed to reflect more sunlight and radiate less heat compared to traditional shingles. They can help your roof maintain lower temperatures, reducing the heat transfer into your home.

These shingles use specially coated materials or reflective granules that boost solar reflectance and reduce heat absorption. Many energy-saving roof options qualify for ENERGY STAR® certification, which ensures they meet the highest performance standards for thermal efficiency.[3]

Most Energy-Efficient Roof Types

The best type of shingles for energy efficiency depends on factors like climate, material, and reflectivity. Here are some of the top options:

• Reflective asphalt shingles: Traditional asphalt shingles absorb a lot of heat, but cool asphalt shingles are coated with reflective granules to increase solar reflectance. Many leading roofing manufacturers offer ENERGY STAR® asphalt shingles that offer better thermal performance than standard asphalt roofing.
• Metal roofing: Metal roofs are among the most energy-efficient roof options available. They naturally reflect sunlight and can be coated with reflective pigments to enhance their cooling effect. Metal roofing is durable, lightweight, and often made from recycled materials, making it an eco-friendly choice.
• Tile roofing: Clay and concrete tiles have natural thermal resistance and can be coated to improve solar reflectance. The curved shape allows for better airflow, reducing heat transfer to the home’s interior.
• Synthetic and composite shingles: Newer roofing materials, such as synthetic or composite shingles, mimic traditional materials while offering superior insulation and energy efficiency. Some brands have shingles with high reflectivity and durability.

How Can Energy-Efficient Shingles Lower Your Energy Bills?

• Energy-efficient roof shingles work by reducing heat absorption and lowering cooling demands. Here are some ways they can help you save money:
• Reducing roof surface temperature: Traditional dark shingles can reach temperatures of 150℉ or higher during a hot summer. Cool roofing materials stay significantly cooler than traditional options, reducing the heat that transfers into your attic and home.
• Lowering air conditioning costs: By reflecting more sunlight and staying cooler overall, an energy-efficient roof will transfer less heat into your home, and your AC won’t have to work as hard to maintain cooler indoor temperatures.
• Improving attic ventilation: Energy-efficient shingles and proper roof ventilation prevent heat from building up in your attic, improving overall energy performance.
• Extending roof lifespan: Less heat exposure on your roof means less expansion, contraction, and potential damage over time, leading to fewer repairs and replacements over the life of your roof.

Additional Benefits of Energy-Efficient Roof Shingles

Choosing energy-efficient shingles offers more benefits beyond just lowering your energy bills:

• Increased comfort: Homes with cool roofs have more stable indoor temperatures and fewer uncomfortable hot spots.
• Environmental impact: Lower energy consumption means reduced reliance on fossil fuels, decreasing your home’s carbon footprint.
• Better home value: Energy-efficient upgrades, including energy-efficient roofing, are attractive for buyers looking for cost savings and sustainability features.

Energy-Efficient vs. Cool Roofing

According to the Department of Energy (DOE), cool roofing reflects sunlight better than conventional roofing, preventing heat absorption and higher indoor temperatures.[4] Energy-efficient roofing and cool roofing may be used interchangeably, but they are different techniques.

Cool roofing involves painting a light-colored reflective coating over flat or low-slope roofs. The reflective coating is measured in SRI. The higher the SRI, the cooler the roof will stay on a hot, sunny day.

Energy-efficient roofing refers to any rooftop that reflects thermal energy, whether it’s a low-pitched roof, a high-pitched roof, or anything in between. Energy-efficient shingles, on the other hand, have light-colored or “cool-colored” shingles that reflect the sunlight – similar to cool roofing.

How to Choose the Best Energy-Saving Roof for Your Home

If you’re considering an energy-efficient roof, keep these factors in mind:

• Climate considerations: Homes in hot climates benefit the most from reflective roofing. Even in moderate climates, energy-efficient shingles can help with insulation.
• Material longevity: Consider long-term durability when selecting materials. Metal and tile roofs may last longer than asphalt shingles.
• Proper installation matters: Ensure your roofing system is installed correctly with adequate attic ventilation to maximize energy efficiency.
• Look for ENERGY STAR® certification: Shingles with the ENERGY STAR® label meet strict energy performance guidelines.

Need a Cooler Roof?

If you want to decrease the summer heat in your home and improve your overall energy efficiency, cool roofs may be an ideal option. Talk to a local roofing contractor about the different energy-efficient and cool roofing options for your existing or replacement roof and enjoy energy savings all summer long.