While you’ve likely already heard all the many benefits of spray foam roofing, you may be wondering exactly what is means if it is Energy Star Approved. The short explanation is that it is highly energy efficient, but there is much more to earning that approval. Keep reading to find out why our foam roofing has earned that designation.
What Is Energy Star?
Energy Star is a voluntary US Environmental Protection Agency program that was started in 1992. The symbol designates products as being proven to save money while protecting the environment through exceptional energy efficiency standards. Congress added to the original establishment of the program in 2005, when the Energy Policy Act was amended to Energy Star being:
“established at the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency a voluntary program to identify and promote energy–efficient products and buildings in order to reduce energy consumption, improve energy security, and reduce pollution through voluntary labeling of or other forms of communication about products and buildings that meet the highest energy efficiency standards.”
The most important things to understand about Energy Star is that it labels specific products that are designed to help minimize greenhouse gas emissions, which provides environmental and health benefits, as well as having a positive impact on the economy. The strides made by Energy Star participants over the last two decades include:
- Over $295 billion in savings on utility bills
- Over 2.1 billion tons of prevented greenhouse gas emissions
Earning the Energy Star Label
In order for products such as spray foam roofing to earn the right to include the Energy Star label, they require third party certification and testing in a laboratory that is EPA recognized. Once a product has earned the label, each year it will still undergo testing to ensure that it is still compliant regardless of changes in manufacturing.
How Foam Roofing Meets These Standards
Spray foam roofing meets the Energy Star standards by providing up to 50% savings in energy over other types of roofing materials. It does this by providing thermal insulation and acting as an air barrier to reduce energy use in maintaining indoor comfort. However, there are a few key things that have led to this label:
- R-Value – This is used to show the product’s ability to minimize the effects of heat transfer. Spray foam roofing has an R-Value of up to 6.5/inch, which is higher than any other roofing alternative. This allows for heating savings as high as 20% each year.
- A protective coating is often added to foam roofing which increases its ability to reflect heat. By doing this, it becomes a cool roof, and lowers cooling costs by around 25 to 35%.
- Foam roofing also eliminates the need for fasteners, which also eliminates the thermal bridge, which is the amount of heat that enters a building through the fastener holes.
Spray foam roofing has been proven energy efficient, and proudly displays the Energy Star label. Contact us to learn more about how this roofing alternative can help you save.
Sources:
https://www.energystar.gov/about
