There are hundreds of energy saving solutions on the market today and prioritizing from the top down starts with an energy efficient roof. New products and services are available to help build and maintain better buildings in which we work, shop, and lead our everyday lives.
Why It Matters
What better place to start than at the top of your commercial building – the roof. In the U.S., we spend more than $400 billion each year to power our homes and commercial buildings, consuming more than 70% of all electricity used in the United States, about 40% of our nation’s total energy bill, and contributing to almost 40% of the nation’s carbon dioxide emissions. And much of this energy and money is wasted—20% or more on average, and could be saved with an energy efficient roofing solution.
Saving Money While Creating Comfort
Energy solutions save money. While there may be additional upfront costs to improve a roof on an older building or build a new office to be highly efficient, these costs are recouped through lower energy bills.
Supporting Our Economy
Almost 80 billion square feet of commercial space in this country were constructed before 1980—prior to the existence of today’s efficient products and most equipment standards and building codes.
Improving Our Energy Security
This alleviates pressure on our electric grid, avoids new power plant construction, and extends our energy resources as we diversify to greater use of renewable, sustainable energy supplies.
Roofing Energy Efficiency
Roof system performance is one of the most significant opportunities to increase building energy efficiency. There are three times as many re-roofs and retrofits than there are new roof installs on new buildings, giving the current commercial roofing market the ability to accelerate energy savings much faster than new construction.
The Department of Energy has been working with congress to redesign the current tax deduction for commercial building upgrades into a credit that is more generous. The goal is to inspire building owners to retrofit their properties. For more info on the tax incentives visit the DOE.