When it comes to energy efficiency, all agree that in the summer, white roof membranes reflect the sun’s rays, lowering air conditioning costs — while dark roofs absorb the sun’s rays, raising air conditioning costs.
Completed in the spring of 2008, the cool and green roof demonstration/research project of Ann Arbor, Mich.-based architecture and design firm A3C took place atop its UrbEn Retreat. The project was implemented with the assistance of Firestone Building Products and in collaboration with Prof. Moji Nawab of the University of Michigan’s Sustainable Design Research Lab.