Beat the heat with cool roof rebates

By Emma Peterson. 

Explore the science, benefits and savings surrounding cool roofing. 

Editor’s note: Share this article with customers who are interested in cool roofing and the savings that come with it. 

Did you know that a traditional roof can reach temperatures upwards of 150°F on sunny summer afternoons? This type of heat and exposure not only can prematurely age the roof, but it also contributes to things like the urban heat island effect (when urban areas experience higher temperatures, greater pollution and negative health impacts during hot summer months due to the overwhelming presence of heat-absorptive surfaces like pavement and heat-generating activities like engines) and can raise the building's cooling costs! So, what can you do about this? Cool roof materials! 

What is a cool roof  

The United States Department of Energy reports that a “cool roof is designed to reflect more sunlight than a conventional roof, absorbing less solar energy, [and lowering the temperature by 50°F or more].” Lowering this temperature leads to a variety of benefits, both for the building owner and the environment around it. Benefits include: 

• Energy bill savings: By keeping the roof cooler, the entire building stays cooler. This helps reduce the air conditioning needs of the building and can save a lot of money over time.  
• Extend roof life: Extensive exposure to high temperatures can prematurely age a roof. By lowering the temperature a roof reaches, cool roofing can extend the lifespan of a roof. 
• Reduce urban heat island effect: Because the roof is absorbing less heat (ergo releasing less heat later) and instead reflecting it back out into the atmosphere, it lowers outside temperatures and can help offset climate issues.  
• Decrease pollution: Many air pollutants are temperature dependent and create a cooler atmosphere around it, cool roofs can actually slow the formation of smog! They also generally reduce the number of pollutants put into the environment as they lower the power plant energy consumption by reducing air condition usage. 

What does a cool roof look like? 

Cool roofs come in many different shapes and forms. Many are often lighter-colored, as that allows them to reflect more sunlight and subsequently heat. However, as “about half of sunlight arrives as invisible “near infrared” radiation... dark materials can use special pigments (colorants) that preferentially reflect this invisible light.” This innovation allows home and building owners to adopt cool roofing without sacrificing things like curb appeal. 

One of the best resources to work with to make a choice about cool roofing is the Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC). They are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that “develops fair, accurate and credible methods for evaluating and labeling the radiative properties of roofing and exterior wall products.” Specifically, the rated roof products directory is a great resource to learn more about cool roofing materials and products.  

Installing a cool roof 

While cool roofing has many benefits, they can be a bit expensive. Oftentimes, that cost is offset but the long-term savings in reduced energy bills and extended roof lifespan, but it can be a lot up front. Luckily, there are a lot of programs that help make cool roofs affordable! A great example is the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) rebates for cool roof installations. These rebates offer “$0.20 to $0.80 per square foot for eligible cool roof installations” in order to make energy-efficiency more accessible.  

The rebates available to home and building owners depends on the state and city they live in, though there was a bill (H.R.2679) introduced in April 2025 called Cool Roof Rebate Act of 2025 that aims to “to direct the Secretary of Energy to establish and carry out a program to provide rebates for the purchase and installation of cool roof products.” However, as of the writing of this article, this bill is still being examined by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. In the meantime, here are some of the rebates to look into based on what state you’re in!  

• California: Cool roof rebate options are not limited to Los Angeles. There’s a statewide program called Energy Upgrade CA that offers rebates of up to $5,000 for eligible cool roofing materials that are installed alongside other energy efficient home upgrades. 
• Florida: Florida’s Solar and Energy Loan Fund (SELF) offers rebates of up to $5,000 for roofing materials that are certified with ENERGY STAR®. 
• New York: Like Florida, New York offers rebates based on the installation of ENERGY STAR® certified roofing products. This is part of the state’s NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research and Development Authority) program. 
• Ohio: Home and business owners in Ohio can get interest rate reductions of loans for energy-efficient roofing through Ohio’s Eco-Link program. 
• Texas: The Texas Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) is a powerful financial program that can provide a loan of up to 100% for energy efficiency and renewable energy retrofits.  
• Illinois: For residents of Illinois, they can apply for grants up to 50% of the installation cost through the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation. 

In addition to state rebates and programs, many utility companies and roofing manufacturers offer their own rebates and incentives to encourage the use of cool roofing materials. A great example is residents of Colorado and Minnesota whose utility company is Xcel Energy, who can use “ENERGY STAR® certified roofing materials as part of their home energy efficiency programs.” As for manufacture incentives, companies like GAF, Owens Corning and CertainTeed have different promotions and rebates available. Overall, no matter where you are, cool roofs are a great option to not only help the environment and your community but also save some money and make your building more comfortable. 

Original image source: Cool Roof Rating Council