US wants to paint the world white to save energy

[bloomington-lib]

Source: AFP

LONDON(AFP) (AFP) – US Energy Secretary Steven Chu said Tuesday the Obama administration wanted to paint roofs an energy-reflecting white, as he took part in a climate change symposium in London.

The Nobel laureate in physics called for a "new revolution" in energy generation to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

But he warned there was no silver bullet for tackling climate change, and said a range of measures should be introduced, including painting flat roofs white.

Making roads and roofs a paler colour could have the equivalent effect of taking every car in the world off the road for 11 years, Chu said.

It was a geo-engineering scheme that was "completely benign" and would keep buildings cooler and reduce energy use from air conditioning, as well as reflecting sunlight back away from the Earth.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090526/sc_afp/climatewarmingusbritainchu

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I was just reading about something like this on a DIY green website. You can also put up a reflective sheet or tarp on your roof that will reflect sunlight as well as and years to your roof. Wonder if planes or birds will like it though.

I've always wondered why we don't have light roofs that would reflect sun when the sun is at it's highest, in the summer, and have darker walls for when the sun is lower in the winter.

[karynnj]

1. Funny, that this is considered a new idea

I know that 15 plus years ago when we had the roof done, we were advised to have white tiles (or whatever they were called).

[roguevalley]

31. Imagine a sea of white roofs gleaming in the sunshine. Goa anyone?

[librechik]

2. reminds me of the Steven Wright joke: "It's a small world

but I wouldn't want to paint it. "

[BadDonkey]

24. love that joke.....

one of my all time favorites. One of only a few that I repeat.

Reminds me of My favorite joke as a kid:

'why did the monkey fall out of the tree?'

'because he was dead'

Not the best joke in the world, and it didn't help me get any dates, but it did help prepare me for Steven Wrights comedy when I got a little older.

[mopinko]

27. my favorite steven wright joke, which i not only repeat, i live.

you may look at the pair of socks that i have on and think that they don't match. but i think they do, because i go by thickness.

[kfred]

3. White roofs - note flat roofs

It's feasible if it is judiciously used. Up Nort' in MN it would cause problems, we need the dark roofs. I have wondered why roads weren't darker here in color because it would attract snowmelt heat, less chemicals - however, then we go to SO hot during the summers that drivers would run their air conditioners in the car much longer which would defeat that momvement.

Down south? Does it make sense? That one word "flat" as it is applied to roofs makes quite a difference. It is one heck of an idea.

I still think solar on homes is a great idea up here in the northern Plains.

(edited for stupid typos and typing too fast)

[jwirr]

7. I had wondered about that also. A neutral color on roofs here in MN

might work.

[dixiegrrrrl]

8. Here down south anything painted white and outdoors turns green by fall.

Rain/humidity + 80-90 degrees = mildew and mold.

We have white trim on house, have to spray with vinegar or bleach once a year to keep everything white.

[cornermouse]

10. I've always wondered whether all the asphalt and pavement

roads might be contributing to global warming. :tinfoilhat:

[Lorien]

4. And it doesn't cut into fossil fuel profits

so it truly is "benign" from a political standpoint.

[Seldona]

5. We coated our roof white a couple weeks ago.

Even while we were doing it you could see and feel the difference. You could see the heat wavering off the unfinished part, while the finished part actually remained pretty cool and you could see NO heat coming from the roof. I was shocked at the difference it made.

This is an excellent idea in my experience. I am looking forward to cheaper cooling bills this summer.

[WriteDown]

6. For FLAT roofs this works...

but sloping roofs literally become blinding when painted white. I've thought about doing this to my own roof for a couple of years, but the reflection off of it is just too much.

[Igel]

13. Would white shingles achieve most of the same effect?

Those are commercially available. If the danged HOA allows it, I'm planning on making our roof white when it needs replacing.

Might start with the porch out back, since it needs to have a vent installed.

[Kolesar]

20. Install a Dupont Cool Roof: It reflects 80% of the sun's energy.

It is a "membrane" roof with sealed seams. We had one installed on a 1:10 pitched roof a few years ago and it is great.

White shingles still absorb 85% of the sun's energy.

[Igel]

29. Thanks. n/t

[tclambert]

9. Here in Michigan we would get weary of painting it white every spring

and black every fall.

[babylonsister]

14. What's with the black in the fall in Michigan? I've never heard

of that. :shrug:

[M155Y_A1CH]

17. In cold climates, dark will heat the roof in sunlight

It helps to keep the snow accumulation minimized so the roof doesn't break and helps with those pesky heating bills.

[Kolesar]

21. The attic under the roof is unheated, so the black roof does not "heat" the house . eom

[M155Y_A1CH]

30. No it does not heat the house, exactly

It does help to create a hot air pocket above your ceilings and slows the transfer of heat. Heat loss is greater when the migration is toward an area of greater temperature difference. Heat exchange is not stopped by insulation, only slowed. A warm attic will not carry your house heat away as fast as a cold one. An attic is heated considerably when the sun shines on a dark colored roof.

[itsrobert]

11. Isn't there a type of paint that changes colors depending on the temp

I thought there was, maybe I'm wrong.

[alfredo]

19. A bunch of mood rings might do the trick.

[Kolesar]

22. Deciduous trees...eom

[mopinko]

12. here in chicago many already are white.

ours is actually silver, an aluminum based paint. as you ride the el, you can see that at least half of the flat roofs are white. google earth also shows many white roofs here.
it is a good idea, but it is already half done, as far as i can see. i mean, this is something that has been known about and talked about for a couple of decades at least.

[awoke_in_2003]

15. Hey Mo

how ya been?:hi:

[mopinko]

25. much lighter now.

man, i never thought being a mod would be so hard. i miss the hot tub, and all that, but...

but i am doing well. working on my house. doing a little art. good stuff.

how about you?

[awoke_in_2003]

34. Doing pretty good...

although I just returned from a week in Nashville. My father had a heart attack (not a bad one), and I went up to put some things in order.

[mopinko]

26. oops

[Canuckistanian]

16. It would be like painting a beachball using an eyelash

A hell of a lot of work, with tiny results.

Besides, has anyone ever thought of the CO2 output of such a huge venture?

[M155Y_A1CH]

18. Sometimes simple solutions...

...are the most viable because they are "do-able", low cost and can be implemented quickly and easily.

[and-justice-for-all]

23. I did something like this already...

I had to replace my roof last year, we decided to have a metal roof instead of the oil based roof crap. It saved us 3K and since their was no tear off needed, there was no clean up or waste.

We also did not get a black roof or any other dark color, it is light green. I knew black would just attract heat and I thought white would not look to good.

[booksenkatz]

28. What will the homeowners associations think about that?

There is a guy here in Michigan who lives in an upscale community and wants to install attractive solar panels on his roof, but his association board has nixed the idea. He is trying to fight it, and is even consulting with his attorney to figure out the ramifications if he goes ahead and does it anyway. When I read the comments on the article, I was shocked to see plenty of comments that were in support of the board!

We may have to get some legislation passed to override these associations when it comes to going green.

[Regret My New Name]

33. Freaking home owners associations...

My parents own a house in a place like that, and they are always complaining about the HOA dictating what they can and cannot do. It's always stupid stuff too... I don't think they realized what they were getting into when they bought their house where it's at.

Unless it's done horribly bad, I don't see why they think adding solar power would be a nogo. Probably some idiots who think anything good for the enviroment is "commie hippie bullshit" that "real" Americans don't do...

[intheflow]

32. I'm picturing a WPA-program painting interstate highways white.

Not only would it cut down on absorbed heat, but I'll bet it would be safer for drivers at night, too.