Insulation I

Cool roofs are defined by as a product with high solar reflectivity (at least 0.65 for low-slope roofs) and high infrared emissivity (at least 0.75).  Regulation and voluntary standards in the USA are increasingly adopting cool roof requirements. For example, in its 2005 revision, Title 24, California Energy Efficiency Standards for Residential and Nonresidential Buildings, cool roofs are prescribed in the standard non-residential building.  More recently, early in 2008, the Building Envelope Subcommittee of ASHRAE 90.1 proposed cool roofs as prescriptive in Climate Zones 1-5.  Cool roofs decrease the solar gain of buildings, thus lowering cooling energy demand, but increase the heating demand of buildings; in heating climates careful analysis should be performed to make sure cool roofs are advantageous. A combination of thermal insulation and surface radiative properties may create the best roofing assembly.  This presentation will cover the theory on how cool roofs work.  Numerical simulation results will be shared with the audience to show the benefits of cool roofs and insulation for some selected locations.

An essential element of sustainability is one too frequently ignored or overlooked. This article and presentation will focus on the critical yet overlooked element of sustainability - stewardship. Product stewardship is a commitment and dedication of resources to test and study products and to assure that the products can be safely manufactured, installed and used. The paper and presentation will emphasize the importance of retaining this time-honored concept of stewardship in the fast- moving definition of sustainability, and it will elucidate why stewardship is the very essence of sustainability.

This presentation will provide an overview of the commercial and residential roofing markets, including both the products and systems being specified and used in this building envelope sector, most of which utilize reinforcements provided by member companies.  Changes in product use and offerings have been significant over the past 5 years, and attention will be given to the trends that have affected product selection and use.  An overview of market forces and how regulation and the current focus on green roofing has changed roofing in the United States will be discussed as well as what the roofing sector sees may influence material selection in the near future and beyond.

This paper and talk will describe the sustainability of various insulation products in-situ. Calculations will be made to demonstrate the impact of energy efficiency and associated carbon reduction of both residential and mechanical insulation systems in a variety of real world scenarios. The impact of insulation will be explained in using various fuel quantity equivalents to enhance the visualization.