Looking for Cool Roof or Cool Exterior Wall Codes, Standards, and Voluntary Programs?
While we strive to keep our information current, this is not an all-inclusive list. Please contact the individual agency for updated program information.
Cool Roof Codes and Ordinances
Last Updated August 11, 2022
STATE | AGENCY | CODE OR ORDINANCE | WEBSITE |
Alabama | Alabama Energy and Residential Codes (AERC) Board | ||
California | California Energy Commission | ||
California | City of Chula Vista | ||
California | City of Los Angeles | ||
California | Los Angeles County | ||
Canada | City of Toronto | ||
Colorado | City of Denver | ||
Florida | Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation | ||
Florida | City of Miami Beach | City of Miami Beach, Urban Heat Island Ordinance No. 2019-4252 | |
Georgia | Georgia Department of Community Affairs | ||
Georgia | City of Atlanta | City of Atlanta, Chapter 75 - Sustainable Development Design Standards | |
Hawaii | Hawaii State Energy Office | ||
Hawaii | County of Kauai | ||
Illinois | City of Chicago | ||
New York | City of New York | ||
Pennsylvania | City of Philadelphia | ||
Texas | State of Texas | Energy Conservation Code of the Texas Industrialized Housing and Buildings Program | |
Texas | City of Austin | ||
Texas | City of Dallas | Dallas Green Construction Code (enacted by Green Ordinance No. 30327) [PDF] | |
Texas | City of Houston | ||
Washington, DC | District of Columbia |
Cool Exterior Wall Codes and Ordinances
Last Updated August 11, 2022
STATE | AGENCY | CODE OR ORDINANCE | WEBSITE |
Hawaii | Hawaii State Energy Office |
Cool Roof Model Codes & Standards
Last Updated February 1, 2022
CODE / STANDARD | TITLE | EDITION | DESCRIPTION | WEBSITE |
ASHRAE Standard 90.1 | Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings (I-P Edition) | 2019 | This model code provides the minimum requirements for energy-efficient design of most buildings, except low-rise residential buildings. The code becomes mandatory once it is adopted by a jurisdiction. Roofs are required to meet minimum three-year-aged solar reflectance and thermal emittance values. | |
ASHRAE Standard 90.2 | 2018 | This model code establishes minimum whole-building energy performance requirements for energy-efficient residential buildings. The code becomes mandatory once it is adopted by a jurisdiction. Roofs are required to meet minimum three-year-aged solar reflectance and thermal emittance values. | ||
California | California Green Building Standards Code; Title 24 Part 11 (CALGreen) | 2019 | California's Green Building Standards Code. The code becomes mandatory once it is adopted by a jurisdiction | |
IECC | 2021 | This model code regulates the minimum energy conservation and efficiency requirements for new buildings. | ||
IgCC | 2018 | This model code takes a whole system approach to the design, construction and operation of buildings that result in better indoor environments and lower impact on natural resources. The code becomes mandatory once it is adopted by a jurisdiction. Roofs are required to meet minimum three-year-aged solar reflectance and thermal emittance values. | ||
RESNET 301 | Standard for the Calculation and Labeling of the Energy Performance of Low-Rising Residential Buildings using the HERS Index | 2019 | This standard provides a consistent, uniform methodology for evaluating and labeling the energy performance of Dwelling Units and Sleeping Units, including all detached and attached housing types. Requires compliance with minimum solar absorptance and thermal emittance values. |
Cool Exterior Wall Model Codes & Standards
Last Updated February 1, 2022
CODE / STANDARD | TITLE | EDITION | DESCRIPTION | WEBSITE |
ASHRAE Standard 90.1 | Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings (I-P Edition) Addendum S | 2019 | This model code provides the minimum requirements for energy-efficient design of most buildings, except low-rise residential buildings. The code becomes mandatory once it is adopted by a jurisdiction. Wall requirements are located in Section 5.5.3.2 (Above-Grade Wall Insulation). The 2022 edition will offer a compliance credit for the installation of highly-reflective wall materials in all climate zones. | |
CALGreen | California Green Building Standards Code (Title 24, Part 11) | 2019 | California's Green Building Standards Code. The code becomes mandatory once it is adopted by a jurisdiction. Wall requirements are located inSection A5.106.7.2 | |
IgCC | 2018 | This model code takes a whole system approach to the design, construction and operation of buildings that result in better indoor environments and lower impact on natural resources. The code becomes mandatory once it is adopted by a jurisdiction. Wall requirements are located in Section 501.3.5.2 (5.3.5.2). | ||
| RESNET 301 | Standard for the Calculation and Labeling of the Energy Performance of Low-Rising Residential Buildings using the HERS Index | 2019 | This standard provides a consistent, uniform methodology for evaluating and labeling the energy performance of Dwelling Units and Sleeping Units, including all detached and attached housing types. Requires compliance with minimum solar absorptance and thermal emittance values for above-grade walls. Wall requirements are located in Sections 4.2.2 and 4.3.1. | RESNET |
Cool Roof Voluntary Programs
Last Updated January 2, 2022
LOCATION | AGENCY | PROGRAM OR STANDARD | DESCRIPTION | WEBSITE |
US National | Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) | The goals of CHPS are to fundamentally change the design, construction, and operation of schools to protect student and staff health; conserve energy, water, and other natural resources; and reduce waste, pollution, and environmental degradation. The standard becomes mandatory if the school is funded by the State Department of Education. Roofs are required to be CRRC rated and meet a minimum Solar Reflectance Index (SRI) value. | ||
US National | US Environmental Protection Agency ENERGY STAR | ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Roof Products; Specification 3.0; 2017 | ENERGY STAR® is the government-backed label for energy efficient products. ENERGY STAR certified roofs are required to have minimum initial and three-year aged solar reflectance values. | |
United States and Canada | Green Building Initiative | Green Globes Assessment Protocol for Commercial Buildings; ANSI/GBI 01; 2021 | Green Globes is an online assessment protocol, rating system, and guidance for green building design, operation and management. It is interactive, flexible and affordable, and provides market recognition of a building’s environmental attributes through third-party assessment. | |
California | Build It Green GreenPoint Rating System | The GreenPoint Rated label shows that your home remodel was built to trusted environmental standards and evaluated by a certified GreenPoint Rater. | ||
US National | National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) | Voluntary standard for green building design and construction. Contains a heat island mitigation compliance option based on SRI. | ||
International | US Green Building Council (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) | Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) voluntary green building certification system. It is a third-party green building certification program and the globally recognized standard for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings and neighborhoods. There is a heat island mitigation compliance credit for the installation of a cool roof based on minimum solar reflectance, thermal emittance, and SRI values. | ||
US Southeast | EarthCraft | The EarthCraft House Technical Guidelines apply to all new construction and gut rehab projects in the EarthCraft House program, including single-family homes, duplexes, and townhomes. Requires installation of ENERGY STAR certified roof product. | ||
New Jersey | New Jersey, State of | New Jersey Green Building Manual | ||
Washington | Washington, State of | Evergreen Sustainable Development Standard (ESDS) |
Cool Exterior Wall Voluntary Programs
Last Updated February 1, 2022
LOCATION | AGENCY | PROGRAM OR STANDARD | DESCRIPTION | WEBSITE |
United States and Canada | Green Building Initiative | Green Globes Assessment Protocol for Commercial Buildings; ANSI/GBI 01; 2021 | Green Globes is an online assessment protocol, rating system, and guidance for green building design, operation and management. It is interactive, flexible and affordable, and provides market recognition of a building’s environmental attributes through third-party assessment. There are reflective wall requirements in Section 7.3.4.3. | |
National | Green Seal | Green Seal Standard for Paints, Coatings, Stains, and Sealers (GS-11-2021) | This standard establishes environmental, health, and performance requirements for certain architectural coatings that are intended to be applied on-site. There are reflective wall requirements in Section 2.8. | |
National | National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) | Voluntary standard for green building design and construction. There are reflective wall requirements in Section 701.1.6. | ||
International | US Green Building Council (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) | Site Sustainability - Heat Island Mitigation with Cool Walls Pilot Credit | Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) voluntary green building certification system. The USGBC published a LEED v4.1 Heat Island Mitigation pilot credit for solar reflective walls on April 9, 2021. The intent of the credit is to reduce the urban heat island (UHI) effect through the use of cool exterior wall products. The credit is worth one possible point under the Heat Island Reduction Sustainable Sites Credit for the Building Design and Construction (BD+C) rating system. To achieve the credit, at least 75% of the building’s gross exterior wall area (including vertical fenestration) must be surfaced with a wall material that has a solar reflectance of at least 0.60 and thermal emittance of at least 0.75 |
