Title 24 & Cool Roofs: What Should Contractors Know?

Mentions of “Title 24” and “cool roofs” are buzzing in the roofing industry and may have you wondering what they are or how they affect your business. IKO’s experts, Don Shaw and Mark Okland, uncover details on IKO Cool Colors, the latest energy standards and how they impact contractors and homeowners alike.

Don Shaw, Manager, Technical & Industry Affairs

Q: What is Title 24?

Don: Title 24 outlines the energy efficiency standards mandated by the California Energy Commission, which includes specific provisions for roofs. It requires all residential and commercial structures in the state to employ roofs that have a minimum solar reflectivity.

Q: Can you explain what a “cool roof” is?

Don: A cool roof is one that has high solar reflectance and thermal emittance properties. They help to avert the sun’s infrared heat energy away from a structure in order to decrease energy usage and costs associated with cooling (air conditioning).

Q: What are the anticipated energy savings with a cool roof?

Don: Studies from the Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC) have shown typical cooling energy savings of 10 to 30 percent associated with cool roofs. However, the energy savings of a specific area can depend on various factors, including geography, climate, utility rates and type of construction, among others.

Q: How does Title 24 affect contractors? Homeowners?

Don: Contractors in California should be aware of Title 24 provisions in order to ensure their business and homeowner customers are in compliance. It is important to keep in mind that all new construction and re-roof projects in the designated climate zones require a cool roof installation (both residential and commercial).

Knowing that homeowners also turn to their contractors as a trusted advisor on material selection, roofing contractors should also be educated on cool roof product options available to help simplify the selection process for homeowners.

Q: Should contractors who aren’t located in California (or on the West Coast) be concerned with Title 24?

Don: Energy legislation is often known to start in California and then spread to other states. While it isn’t necessarily a guarantee that the rest of the country will adopt these standards, we have seen this as a trend in the past.

Q: Are there any updates or new provisions on the horizon for Title 24 that contractors and homeowners should be aware of?

Don: As part of California’s Building Energy Efficiency Standards, Title 24 is updated every three years, with the next update taking effect in January 2017. IKO is continuing to stay at the forefront of these updates to offer residential roofing product solutions that meet the latest provisions.

Mark Okland, Product Development Manager

Q: What is IKO doing to help contractors and homeowners comply with Title 24?

Mark: IKO recently introduced its IKO Cambridge™ Cool Colors, an advanced line of residential architectural laminate shingles that are engineered to meet the California Energy Commission Building Standards Code, Title 24.

Q: What are the performance features and benefits of IKO’s Cool Color shingles?

Mark: IKO Cambridge Cool Colors feature a shingle coating embedded with special granules that reflect a greater amount of solar energy than standard roofing shingles. This high-reflectance technology allows less solar radiation (less heat) to enter the home through the attic.

As a result, IKO Cambridge Cool Colors shingles help to lower the roof’s temperature on sunny days throughout the year, potentially reducing energy costs associated with air conditioning.

Q: What colors are offered and where are they available?

Mark: IKO Cool Colors shingles are offered in four dramatic color options, including the popular Dual Grey as well as three new colors: Arctic White, Desert Gold and Valley Oak. The two lighter color options, Arctic White and Dual Grey, convey a fresh, calming “coastal” aesthetic that pairs well with other cool-colored home features — such as siding and stone masonry in hues of grey, blue, yellow, white, pastels and other vivid colors. Meanwhile, Desert Gold and Valley Oak are deep, rich, multi-tone colors that bring a home’s beauty and surrounding environment to life through the warm and inviting hues of nature.

All four colors align with the latest home exterior color trends and will be available throughout California with additional limited availability in surrounding West Coast states. Dual Grey will continue to be offered nationwide, and will also include granules treated with a preservative to prevent discoloration from algae.

Q: What makes IKO’s Cool Colors different than other similar shingles in the marketplace?

Mark: They have the same “Advantage” size benefit as other popular Cambridge shingles — which provides 12 percent larger exposure than most competitors’ comparable products. Because of their bigger profile, installation of Cambridge shingles not only is faster and easier for contractors, but also creates a dramatic finished appearance and lowers job costs associated with excess materials and labor.