If it is hot enough to fry an egg on your rooftop during the summer or any other time of the year, maybe it is time to do something about your rooftop. While I do not touch on every type of cool roof technology in my article posted on the Green Lodging News website this past week, I do focus on white roofs and their numerous environmental benefits.
Did you know that a roof covered with solar-reflective white paint reflects up to 90 percent of sunlight as opposed to the 20 percent reflected by a traditional black roof? Or that on a 90°F day, a black roof can be up to 180°F while a white roof stays a cool 100°F? I am sure those of you with properties with flat black roofs are not surprised.
The coating need not be white paint but a white rooftop surface can reduce cooling costs in your building significantly—up to 40 percent, depending on rooftop size, number of stories, building square footage, etc.
In addition to reduced cooling costs and a reduced carbon footprint associated with those costs, white roofs can help to reduce the urban heat island effect in large cities, reduce smog and improve breathing conditions. White roofs can also lower the temperature of rainwater runoff that enters water systems.
Wyndham’s White Rooftop
Numerous properties mentioned on the Green Lodging News site have white roofs. For my article I spoke with Frank Campagna, senior v.p., real estate and facilities for Wyndham Worldwide, about the 83,000-square-foot white roof on Wyndham’s headquarters in Parsippany, N.J. Frank told me the building Wyndham leases has a rolled white thermal plastic polyolefin roof with welded seams. It not only adds the benefits described above but also increases the rooftop insulation by a factor of two and contributed a point toward the building’s LEED certification.
You can’t just go up to the rooftop with a bucket and brush and start painting away. Maciek Rupar, director of Technical Services, National Roofing Contractors Assn., told me that everything from climate to how a building is heated or cooled to what type of roof is already in place come into play when considering a white roof. The coating has to be compatible with what rooftop is already there and you have to make sure that you don’t jeopardize the warranty on the existing roof by coating over it.
There are also other factors to consider, including maintenance. Periodic washing may be necessary; if dirt collects on the white roof, its effectiveness will be impacted.
Does your property have a white roof? Employ another type of roofing product, technology or technique that reduces its environmental impact? I would love to learn about it. I can be contacted at editor@greenlodgingnews.com, or by phone at (216) 848-1406.
Green Lodging News Adds Onity, Winsulator as Directory Partners
Green Lodging News welcomes Onity and The Winsulator as Green Product & Service Directory partners. Onity is a leading global provider of energy management systems (EMS) for the hospitality, commercial, education, government and marine markets. The company’s EMS products merge digital temperature control with setback strategies that adjust the temperature to energy efficient levels when a room is unoccupied. Onity’s system offers many benefits such as: up to 35 percent HVAC run-time savings, works with all types of HVAC configurations and light control, and wireless capability. For more information, e-mail steve.lyons@onity.com, call (866) 866-6489, or go to www.onity.com.
The Winsulator is a clear acrylic interior window attachment custom measured, assembled and professionally installed by a team with 20 years of hospitality experience. The Winsulator reduces noise levels up to 60 percent and energy costs tied to heating and cooling. In addition to reducing a property’s overall carbon footprint, The Winsulator reduces UV ray penetration. The Winsulator has been tested by NASA, Kennedy Space Center and is in use in hundreds of hotels. For more information, e-mail info@winsulator.com, call (941) 650-9821, or go to www.winsulator.com.
Who is Your Sustainability Champion?
Green Lodging News is always looking to profile sustainability champions in our Personnel Profile section. If you would like to nominate someone for this section of Green Lodging News, contact me at (216) 848-1406, or by e-mail at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
Looking for Guest Columnists
Every two weeks Green Lodging News posts a new guest column on its website. (Click here for examples.) The guest column also appears in the weekly e-newsletter. Green Lodging News is currently in need of industry experts to contribute occasional guest columns. Experts may include consultants, architects, designers, suppliers and those who own or operate green lodging establishments. Columns may be articles that take a stance on a particular subject or be strictly educational in nature. Columnists benefit by having their photo included along with a one paragraph description of their company. Interested in writing a column? Contact Glenn Hasek, publisher and editor, at (216) 848-1406, or by e-mail at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
Planning Advertising for 2013?
Green Lodging News is accepting reservations for advertising spots for 2013. Many excellent spots are available on the website and in the weekly e-mail newsletter. Many Green Supplier Spotlight dates are also available. Interested in receiving a 2013 media kit? Be sure to contact me as soon as possible at (216) 848-1406, or by e-mail at editor@greenlodgingnews.com. A media kit can also be accessed by clicking here. Thank you to all of those companies that consistently support Green Lodging News.
Social Networking Sites
Green Lodging News now has 1,286 Twitter followers. Thank you to all of those who follow our tweets. In addition to following us on Twitter, be sure to bookmark the Green Lodging News Blog in your browser. More importantly, participate with your comments. Green Lodging News is also on Facebook. Be sure to “Like” us there. Green Lodging News now has 390 Facebook followers. Also be sure to look for me on LinkedIn.
As always, I can be reached at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
