Page 8 - CooperatorNews Chicagoland EXPO 2021

8 COOPERATORNEWS CHICAGOLAND —EXPO 2021 CHICAGO.COOPERATORNEWS.COM ENERGY & THE ENVIRONMENT There is no overstating the dire situ- ation that the planet finds itself in after this climate catastrophe on the real estate weight can the roof support?), the desires two centuries of industrialization and the sector. In fact, there is a certain symbiosis of the residents (perhaps especially those broad unwillingness of its biggest perpe- trators to mitigate its devastating effects on with each other: as hotter times get hot- climate, not to mention on human health. ter and colder times colder, more energy The United Nations Intergovernmental is needed to keep buildings and their resi- Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released dents comfortable. As weather events be- a scathing report on August 9, 2021, detail- ing the indisputable effects that human ac- tivity has had on the planet—many of them intense inspections, repairs, and replace- reaching the point of irreversibility within ments. All of this contributes to the climate ferent options than flat roofs, so certain the next several millennia. The most con- sequential effects come from greenhouse gas emissions, which are responsible for tions and opportunities for addressing ings might opt for what is known as a “cool approximately 1.1°C of warming since the their climate impact—and many have to roof”—a reflective surface that can be 50ºF latter half of the 19th century, according to do with upgrades to their roofs. Such up- the report. Considering that a 1.5ºC warm- ing is projected to occur over the next two as applying a coating of white or reflective Florham Park, New Jersey. decades and a 2ºC warming puts the planet paint, or as complex and costly as creating in danger of heat extremes beyond toler- ance thresholds for agriculture and human top vegetable garden—but all are consid- health, according to the IPCC, the time for ered “green” for environmental purposes. under 65ºF—and cooling degree days— immediate, rapid, large-scale change is this Each project comes with its own rationale days over 65ºF. In areas with more cooling second. The World Green Building Council’s grants and incentives, quality of life en- 2017 Global Status Report estimates that hancements, revenue generation, commu- buildings alone are responsible for nearly nity-building, and property value. These cool roof can still be a benefit, because the 40% of carbon emissions—putting much of must be weighed against engineering heat absorbed by your roof can transfer the onus for mitigation and remediation of and structural concerns (e.g., how much that buildings and the environment have on the top floor), and—of course—cost. come more frequent and intense, building common on high-rise condominium or owners must perform more frequent and co-op buildings, low-rises or individual crisis that imperils earth as we speak. Fortunately, buildings have great op- grades can be as simple and inexpensive to American Home Contractors, based in a communal roof deck or working roof- in terms of potential for energy savings, degree days, a cool roof is a no-brainer. Know Your Roof Stats In embarking on any roof project, the first thing to know is what kind of roof your building or home has. While not HOA units with sloped roofs have dif- ideas might be automatically eliminated depending on slope degree. Such build- less than a typical asphalt roof, according “When making the decision for a cool roof,” says the company’s rep, “it is impor- tant to factor in heating degree days—days But even in a state like New Jersey, where heating degree days are more common, a into your home, causing a need for greater amounts of air conditioning.” A cool roof can reflect up to 80% of the sun’s UV rays, according to American Home Contractors, and is as easy as installing lighter colored or reflective shingles, or having a cool roof coating applied to existing shingles. The Department of Energy estimates that the cost of installing a cool roof is compa- rable to the cost of installing a traditional roof, while applying coatings to an existing roof surface costs between 20¢ and $1 per square foot, depending on the type of ap- plication. The Addison On The Ocean Condo- minium in Boca Raton, Florida, installed a cool roof in 2010, when it replaced its original roof that was then 25 years old. According to Best Roofing, the Fort Lau- derdale-based company that did the instal- lation, the project took 70 days, and was completed on time and on budget. The company explains that the cool roof’s 15- year warranty means that “the Addison is still saving money on its monthly energy bills due to the cool roof’s highly reflective surface that reflects heat away rather than being absorbed into the building. Lower building temperatures mean less energy spent on air conditioning. In fact, the cool roof system is so effective in lowering roof- top temperatures that it radically reduces energy costs and even extends the life ex- pectancy of the roof.” Go Green A vegetated roof is the type one nor- mally thinks of as “green,” and will be re- ferred to as such in the remainder of this story. In situations where it can be applied, a vegetated green roof can be expected to prolong the life of a conventional roof by at least 20 years, according to the experts. This is because the vegetation prevents the roof surface from being exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet radiation and the dete- riorating effects of precipitation and cold winds. There are two basic types of green roofs: extensive and intensive. Extensive systems are the types with short, shallow-rooted plants that require 2 to 4 inches of soil, 12 to 40 pounds per square foot of roof area, and minimal maintenance. An intensive system, more akin to a rooftop garden, re- quires a minimum of 6 to 12 inches of soil Green Options to Make the Most of Your Roof From a Coat of Paint to a Community Garden BY DARCEY GERSTEIN continued on page 28