CRRC LAUNCHES PRODUCT RATING PROGRAM

Roof Radiative Property Ratings Expected to Transform Industry

The Cool Roof Rating Council [CRRC] announces the launch of a unique Product Rating Program that will provide code body officials, energy service providers, design professionals, building owners and property managers critical data on roof surfaces. Key provisions of the Product Rating Program include: 1) Licensed Sellers who obtain official ratings through the CRRC for various roof products; 2) Independent Accredited Testing Laboratories that report Solar Reflectance and Thermal Emittance values according to CRRC-approved ASTM test methods; 3) a recognizable trademarked Label for communicating radiative property data to all end-users; and 4) a Random Sampling Program to monitor ongoing field compliance with Label claims. With its comprehensive Product Rating Program, the CRRC is an independent source of accurate and credible roof surface radiative property data that are indicative of improved building energy performance and associated environmental benefits.

"This culminates months of dedicated work by tens of industry professionals ranging from roof consultants to roofing manufacturers to energy service companies to top national researchers to leading public interest groups," summarizes Peter Turnbull, Chairman of the CRRC. "The Program is already in California's Title 24 State Energy Code and we see major interest from other municipal and state regulatory bodies as well as from the U.S. EPA's ENERGY STAR® Program. Against this backdrop, we expect early and broad participation from all types of roofing manufacturers who will stay at their industry's forefront by obtaining CRRC ratings that end-users will soon require."

Manufacturers and end-users alike can access www.coolroofs.org for more information on the CRRC, the Product Rating Program, and related Cool Roof topics. The first Rated Products Directory will appear on-line January, 2003. This database will become a key resource for:

• Code Bodies who establish minimum CRRC ratings for new construction and retrofit roofing;
• Inspectors and Regulators who monitor compliance during construction;
• Energy Service Providers who offer rebates and incentives for energy-efficient construction;
• Architects, Designers and Consultants who specify products, estimate building energy loads, and size HVAC equipment.

The Cool Roof Rating Council, formed in January 1998, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational foundation with the mission of "developing fair, accurate and credible radiative property ratings for roof surfaces." For more information on the CRRC, CRRC membership, CRRC Charter Members, and the Product Rating Program, visit www.coolroofs.org or contact Jessica Means at 202-785-3232.