By Topps Products. 

Learn how the right coating can extend a warehouse roof’s lifespan, boost its efficiency and reduce the maintenance required. 

Industrial spaces, warehouses and other commercial structures often face unique challenges. Exposed to constant environmental wear from factors such as heat and moisture, it is crucial to make sure that these buildings’ envelopes are secure, otherwise you risk damage and property loss for whatever is stored inside the space. How do you go about securing the building envelope? The best place to start is at the top – the roof. In this article, the experts here at Topps Products dive into how you can use roof coatings to create a durable and cost-effective roof system that will secure the building envelope.  

Energy efficiency through reflective insulation 

Warehouses and factories often suffer from heat buildup, especially when equipped with traditional metal or flat roofing systems. Without proper insulation, these buildings can become heat traps — raising internal temperatures, overworking HVAC systems and driving up energy bills. 

Roof coatings, particularly those made from reflective materials like white elastomeric or silicone, such as Topps Seal®, help mitigate this issue by reflecting over 80% of the sun’s rays. This significantly reduces the surface temperature of the roof and keeps indoor temperatures cooler. For large-scale industrial operations, the savings in air conditioning costs alone can make coatings a smart investment. The reduced thermal load also prolongs the life of internal equipment sensitive to heat, improving overall facility performance. 

Minimize maintenance and downtime 

Industrial and warehouse operations rely on minimal disruption. Traditional roof replacements or frequent repairs can mean downtime, scheduling headaches and additional labor costs. Roof coatings provide a seamless waterproof membrane that protects the roof from leaks, rust and UV degradation without requiring a full tear-off or shutdown. 

These coatings help seal small cracks, prevent corrosion on metal surfaces and add an extra layer of protection against the elements. Because the application process is typically quick and non-invasive, warehouses can continue operations with minimal interruption. Regular re-coating (every 10-15 years, depending on the product) helps maintain this protection, significantly lowering the long-term maintenance burden. 

Sustainable and cost-effective long-term solution 

In today’s environmentally conscious market, sustainability matters. Roof coatings are a green alternative to roof replacement, as they reduce construction waste and support energy efficiency goals. Many coating systems are low-VOC and compliant with environmental standards. 

From a cost perspective, coating your existing roof is often a fraction of the cost of a full replacement. The combination of lower installation costs, improved energy efficiency and minimal maintenance makes coatings one of the most budget-friendly choices for industrial property owners looking to preserve asset value. 

Tailored protection for harsh climates 

For facilities in hot, humid or coastal environments, coatings offer an added layer of defense against mold, algae, salt air and storm damage. Silicone-based coatings, in particular, are highly durable in wet climates and resist ponding water—ideal for flat roofs common in warehouse design. 

If your industrial space is located in Florida, the Caribbean or another high-heat region, investing in a high-performance coating system not only protects your building but also ensures it performs efficiently year-round, even in extreme weather. 

Roof coatings are more than just a quick fix — they're a strategic solution that brings long-term value to warehouse and industrial facilities. From energy savings and temperature control to reduced maintenance and environmental benefits, coating systems are a smart, forward- thinking investment for property managers and facility owners alike. 

Visit www.toppsproducts.com to learn more about our professional roof coating solutions.

By Emma Peterson. 

Discover how RejuvaRoofs offers a repair alternative to tearing off and replacing shingle roofs.  

When Jen Silvers founded RejuvaRoofs, she was trying to solve a problem she had seen in her work as a roofing contractor in Utah – the lack of options for extending the life of a roof without having to pay for a full roof replacement. To learn more about how she is solving this problem through RejuvaRoofs, she sat down with Megan Ellsworth for an episode of Roofing Road Trips®.  

The conversation opened with the brand’s product offerings. Jen explained, “Our product is a methylester-based formula with a liquid rubber copolymer in it. It is applied to exposed fiberglass matting around the edges of shingles and actually reactivates the tar strip to spread back out and cover the fiberglass, resealing the roof.” By resealing the fiberglass mat, RejuvaRoofs is able to is able to extend the lifespan of the roof in an economical manner.  

In fact, RejuvaRoofs is so confident in the performance of their product that they offer their certified applicators a 10-year product warranty! Jen shared a bit about what this warranty covers, “If a certified applicator applies your product and it fails, we will cover the cost of the product. We chose to go with the warranty for certified applicators because we want our applicators to be confident in how they're doing the work and the fact that they're doing it the right way to give homeowners that peace of mind.” So, how do you become a certified applicator?  

The first step is to go to RejuvaRoofs website. On there, you will find a form to fill out to apply to become a certified applicator. Jen went into more detail, sharing, “When you submit the form, we send you a sample estimating template, to show how you could price this out and present it as a good option to the homeowner. From there you will be sent the certified applicator requirements and asked to return when you have evidence of fulfilling them. Once all of that is done, you can start helping your clients extend the lifespan of their existing roofs. As Jen explains, “RejuvaRoofs is a way you can help homeowners keep their homes secure for maybe a third of the cost of a full replacement. And it’s not a permanent solution, every roof product has a lifespan, but you can buy them at least 10 more years, maybe even 20 if you reapply proactively.” 

Tune in to the whole Roofing Road Trips® episode to learn more about RejuvaRoofs.

By Emma Peterson. 

Roof coatings offer a number of performance benefits and can potentially offset rising project costs. 

2025 has been a turbulent time of uncertainty for many professionals in the roofing industry. We saw U.S. tariffs placed on materials like steel and aluminum, climbing as high as 50%, causing a cascade of supply chain issues that led to contractors reporting price hikes of 10-20%. Because of this, roofing and reroofing projects have become more expensive, making it more important now than ever for contractors to help their clients find affordable solutions without sacrificing performance.  

Because of this, coatings systems have risen in popularity as an affordable alternative. Not only do they deliver long-term durability and efficiency but also offset roofing project costs.  Coatings are available at an affordable rate as they offer an alternative to traditional tear off and reroof projects – restoration. As the experts from Topps Products explained, “By applying a protective coating to an existing roof, contractors can extend the service life of metal roofing systems, often delaying the need for a full tear-off or costly replacement. This means less demand for new steel or aluminum, which are currently subject to the steepest price increases.” 

Furthermore, if you apply a reflective coating, such as Topps Products’ Topp Seal coating, you will also be lowering the maintenance needs and extending the overall lifespan of the roof. This is because reflective coatings reduce thermal expansion and contraction – one of the main causes of premature roof failure!  

In addition to the performance and cost benefits for your clients, offering coatings can be very beneficial for your company. Here’s a few reasons coatings are a smart business strategy:  

1. Win more: All those benefits for clients that we mentioned? Those make it easier for you to win more bids! 
2. Lower risk: The durability and long-term performance of coatings means that many contractors deal with fewer warranty claims and liabilities when installing them. 
3. Repeat customers: When it comes time for a coating to be replaced (often meaning recoating it), you will already have an established relationship with the client, making you their first call for more work.  
4. Differentiation: Coatings help set you apart from the crowd. Not only can you showcase your cost-consciousness by offering them, but you can also position your company as environmentally forward-thinking as coatings improve energy efficiency by reducing heat absorption and create less waste than traditional reroofing. 
5. Efficiency: Typically, coatings take less time for your team to install (in comparison to a tear-off and reroof), meaning they can take on more projects per roofing season. 

Overall, if you are looking for a way to help your business thrive in a turbulent market, coatings are a great solution.  

Visit www.toppsproducts.com to learn more about professional roof coating solutions.

By Emma Peterson. 

Learn how RejuvaRoofs rehydrates and reactivates steep-slope roofing products.  

Meet RejuvaRoofs, an innovative company that is helping contractors extend the lifespan of a roof! To learn more about this company, Megan Ellsworth sat with Jen Silvers, the founder of RejuvaRoofs, for an episode of Roofing Road Trips®.  

RejuvaRoof was born of Jen’s realization that steep-slope roofing doesn’t have an equivalent to fluid-applied restorations like low-slope roofing does. She explained, “I own a small roofing company in Utah and I noticed the lack of options for homeowners when their roof needs worked on. It’s often just a replacement. And, while some roofs need to be fully replaced, there are a lot of homeowners who just need some kind of a fix.” 

So, Jen got in contact with some asphalt engineers and founded RejuvaRoof to create the options she had been searching for as a contractor. What they came up with was a formula that not only rehydrates the shingle but also activates the tar in the asphalt. Jen explained this in more detail, saying, “Our product is methylester-based with a liquid rubber copolymer in it. That allows the tar strip to reactivate and reseal. In other words, our product gets the tar to spread back out and cover the fiberglass mat again. This is key as fiberglass mat becoming exposed and subsequently wet is often the cause of roof leaks down the road.” 

By creating a restoration option for steep-slope roofs, Jen and RejuvaRoof are helping homeowners save upwards of $30,000-$80,000! And the cherry on top is the sustainability of RejuvaRoof’s method. As Jen put it, “We’re really lengthening the cycle of a roof’s lifespan. And as we do that, we’re reducing the sheer amount of roofing materials that’s going into landfills each year!” 

Listen to the entire conversation between Jen and Megan to learn more about RejuvaRoof and their incredible restoration products.

By Emma Peterson. 

Learn why this company chose Topps’ System 1000 Metal Roof Restoration for their 465,660 square foot project. 

In 1909, a glass container factory called the Vidriera Monterrey opened for operations in the city of Monterrey, the capital city of Nuevo León, Mexico. Years later, this same company would become Vitro, one of the largest glass producers in the world, known for producing innovative and high-quality solutions for architecture, automobiles and more!  

However, in 2022, one of their plants in Nuevo León, the Vitro Flex Plant, faced a challenge – a leaking roof. The water infiltration from the leaks was not only damaging the 25-year-old SSR-type metal roof over the facility, but it was also threatening the production processes and the protection of raw materials and finished products at the plant. So, the team at Vitro started looking for solutions. 

Initial assessments found that the roof had a variety of problem areas, including rust, corrosion and damage to gutters and translucent panels. After extensive technical and economic analysis of a variety of waterproof roofing solutions (such as acrylic, silicone, polyurethane and styrene ethylbutlyene styrene [SEBS]), the Vitro team selected Topps Products’ “System 1000 Metal Roof Restoration” as their solution of choice.  

This system is based in SEBS coatings that uses the Topps Seal Excel as the main coating; the Topps Seal Base Coat as a first hand coating; Polyprene and PolyCore for joint reinforcement on seams; RustArrestor and MultiUse Cleaner to prep the surface. This system balances high strength and durability with flexibility. It comes with a 20-year warranty and not only eliminates most if not all moisture absorption concerns, it is ENERGY STAR certified and proven to drop peak energy cooling demand by up to 15% due to its reflective nature. On top of all the benefits and attributes of the product, it was installed with minimal operational disruption to the factory. 

The install itself was split into three parts across several months, with the main roof (361,670 ft²) tackled in May 2022 and the expansion (66,170 ft²) and adjacent building (37,820 ft²) done in October 2022 and October 2023 respectively. Overall, 465,660 square feet were restored. Not only did this project solve critical leaking issues and roof damage, but it also extended the lifespan of the existing metal roof, saving the Vitro team money by avoiding a full roof replacement. Furthermore, the phased execution of the process allowed the plant to keep operating throughout the restoration. At the end of the day, using the Topps’ solution met all of Vitro’s goals of a technically robust solution with measurable and sustainable benefits. 

By Topps Products. 

Learn why coatings are the perfect solution for keeping warehouses and other industrial spaces in tip-top shape.  

On any warehouse or industrial building, the roof is one of the most vital and vulnerable parts of the structure. A roof is the first line of defense between an interior space and the natural elements, facing things like heat, moisture and environmental wear so that your property beneath it does not have to. That’s why it’s so important to make sure your roof is prepared to handle whatever is thrown at it. Roof coatings, such as Topps Products’ high-performance Topps Seal® Excel protective roof coating, are a great, cost-effective way to improve the energy efficiency and durability of a commercial or industrial roof.  

Energy efficiency through reflective insulation 

Warehouses and factories often suer from heat buildup, especially when equipped with traditional metal or flat roofing systems. Without proper insulation, these buildings can become heat traps — raising internal temperatures, overworking HVAC systems and driving up energy bills. 

Roof coatings, particularly those made from reflective materials like white elastomeric or silicone, help mitigate this issue by reflecting over 80% of the sun’s rays. This significantly reduces the surface temperature of the roof and keeps indoor temperatures cooler. For large-scale industrial operations, the savings in air conditioning costs alone can make coatings a smart investment. The reduced thermal load also prolongs the life of internal equipment sensitive to heat, improving overall facility performance. 

Minimize maintenance and downtime 

Industrial and warehouse operations rely on minimal disruption. Traditional roof replacements or frequent repairs can mean downtime, scheduling headaches and additional labor costs. Roof coatings provide a seamless waterproof membrane that protects the roof from leaks, rust and UV degradation without requiring a full tear-o or shutdown. 

These coatings help seal small cracks, prevent corrosion on metal surfaces and add an extra layer of protection against the elements. Because the application process is typically quick and non-invasive, warehouses can continue operations with minimal interruption. Regular re-coating (every 10, 15 or 20, depending on the product) helps maintain this protection, significantly lowering the long-term maintenance burden. 

Sustainable and cost-effective long-term solution 

In today’s environmentally conscious market, sustainability matters. Roof coatings are a green alternative to roof replacement, as they reduce construction waste and support energy efficiency goals. 

From a cost perspective, coating your existing roof is often a fraction of the cost of a full replacement. The combination of lower installation costs, improved energy efficiency and minimal maintenance makes coatings one of the most budget-friendly choices for industrial property owners looking to preserve asset value. 

Tailored protection for harsh climates  

For facilities in hot, humid or coastal environments, coatings offer an added layer of defense against mold, algae, salt air and storm damage. Silicone-based coatings, in particular, are highly durable in wet climates and resist ponding water — ideal for flat roofs common in warehouse design. Elastomeric SEBS-based coatings, are ideal for metal roofs or other substrates exposed to daily thermal movement due to their higher tensile strength, elongation and almost null water absorption.

If your industrial space is located in Florida, the Caribbean or another high-heat region, investing in a high-performance coating system not only protects your building but also ensures it performs efficiently year-round, even in extreme weather. 

Conclusion 

Roof coatings are more than just a quick fix — they're a strategic solution that brings long-term value to warehouse and industrial facilities. From energy savings and temperature control to reduced maintenance and environmental benefits, coating systems are a smart, forward-thinking investment for property managers and facility owners alike. 

Visit www.toppsproducts.com to learn more about Topps’ professional roof coating solutions or shop a limited number of Topps products at toppsproducts.myshopify.com. 

Original article and photo source: Topps Products

By Emma Peterson. 

Learn how Topps Products helped make a school in St. Vincent safer and more comfortable for students. 

With over 700 islands, reefs and cays and 30 different territories, the Caribbean is a stunning and unique region of the world. Accounting for 32 of those islands and cays are the islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. This island country is in the eastern part of the region, about “20 miles (32 km) southwest of Saint Lucia and 100 miles (160 km) west of Barbados.” 

St. Vincent and the Grenadines, like much of the Caribbean, have a thriving tourism business. Specifically, the Grenadines are known for their coral reefs and beaches, making them a favored spot for those interested in boating and fishing (with lobster, conch, tuna and swordfish being popular seafood in the area). In addition to the tourism market, St. Vincent in known for the agricultural economy. They are one of the world’s few producers of arrowroot along with bananas, sweet potatoes, plantains, yams, coconuts and dasheens and eddoes (types of taro).  

Both this tourism and agricultural operations are made possible because of St. Vincent’s tropical maritime climate. While rainfall and temperature can vary, the country’s capital of Kingstown often reports temperatures “between the mid-60s and about 90 °F (between about 18 and 32 °C).” Additionally, the island lays in the path of the northeast trade winds, which can occasionally bring tropical cyclones through the region (notably severe ones were experienced in 1955 and 1980).  

This weather, while picturesque on the surface, can pose some unique issues, such as trapped heat that makes it uncomfortable inside buildings. One solution that has been used in the area is the implementation of Topps Products’ cooling roof coatings. These coatings are proven to “reduce heat and cut peak cooling demand by up to 15%, significantly improving energy savings.”  

To learn more about how Topps has been used in St. Vincent, we sat down with Sarah Mark, Topps’ corporate social responsiblity coordinator, to chat about a recent project done in collaboration with the Rotary Club of St. Vincent. Sarah shared a bit about the project, saying, “The project was renovating the roof for a school for students with special needs. The roof had a lot of leaks and there was a lot of heat that was trapped inside the building.”  

To fix those leaks and mitigate the temperature issues, Topps Seal® was used on the roof. This flagship product is incredibly durable and efficient, not only providing excellent weathering against things like storms and inclement weather, but also “exceeding all Federal ENERGY STAR® specs for proven ability to drive down cooling costs at times of extreme heat.” Sarah added some context about this specific project, sharing, “It significantly improves energy savings while also protecting the roof and providing waterproofing... Today, that space is much more comfortable and the roof’s lifespan has been extended. Usually once the products are used, it extends the life of the roof by decades.”  

This is not the only time that Topps has been used internationally for their incredible performance and cooling capacity. To learn more about Topps Products and the projects that they have been used on, explore their Coffee Shops Directory! 

Image sources in order of appearance: USNews (cover), USNews, Topps Products

By Emma Peterson. 

Topps is shaping the future of coatings with contractors' needs and environmental impact in mind. 

Topps Products’ roof coatings and sealants have been used around the world for over three decades. The secret to their success? Balancing innovative, high-performance products with an adaptable and sustainability-focused company culture. To learn more about this, Heidi J. Ellsworth sat down with Sarah Mark, Wayne Altizer, Mario Villasenor and Giovanni from Topps Products Solutions for an episode of CoatingsCast®. 

Topps’ history starts back with their polyprene product. Mario explained, “The reason Polyprene is such a big product of ours is it's an all rubber sealant designed to have long resistance. Customers really love this product because they can use it on flat roofs, on commercial roofs, but the best thing that customers really love about this is that it has a two-year shelf life, even after they open it.” This incredible shelf life means that contractors don’t have to buy new products as frequently, which both helps their wallets and ties into Topps’ sustainability initiatives. 

Sarah dove a bit deeper into sustainability at Topps, sharing, “Sustainability is kind of at the heart of Topps products and that's why a lot of our products are sustainable. A great example is one of our newer products, Topps EcoSlope. It’s what’s known as a circular product, so it's made from recycled materials.” And, while sustainability is a huge focus with this product, Topps makes sure they aren’t sacrificing performance. Giovanni shared a bit about how EcoSlope helps contractors, saying, “It's a roof leveling compound to solve the problem of water ponding areas on flat roofs. It's a mix of components that, with a very light addition of extra weight to the roof, can give the appropriate slope and direct the water to the right places to remove from the roof.”  

Looking beyond the EcoSlope, Topps has several more projects in the pipeline that meet at the crossroads of sustainability and performance. Wayne shared, “We are now in the solar realm with our solar tube offerings. We're getting into other realms of sustainability that, with products that we're trying to bring out or planning to bring out this year. We're always experimenting and we're always looking for other products that will help with sustainability and keeping material out of our landfills.” 

Read the transcript, Listen to the conversation or Watch the episode to learn more about how Topps’ products unite sustainability and performance. 

By Emma Peterson. 

As Topps Products continues to build its legacy, the team has made it clear that they care about more than the bottom line. 

Topps® Products is known in the roofing industry for providing a wide range of products backed by their support team of industry experts. They know that roofing goes beyond just the products applied and are dedicated to building a partnership with their clients to help every roofing project succeed. Recently, we sat down with Topps’ CEO, James T. Thomas (outgoing) to learn about how they keep people and partnerships at the heart of their operations.  

Over the decades that Topps has operated, they have kept two main values in mind – quality products and humanistic operations. James explained, “We obviously want to keep our quality control high on all our products. We also want to maintain the humanism behind the business. When people call us, we know what we're talking about when it comes to coatings and roofs, so they’re not getting someone who's just trying to sell you something.”  

This dedication to being more than someone who just sells products, to being an expert with quality products, does mean that Topps might work slower than other companies from time to time. James elaborated, “We never want to rush something to get it out on time and relax on the quality. We don't want that to happen. We'd rather just lose the customer. And we have lost customers because we would not sacrifice our quality for the deadline.” While this does mean that some customers have gone to different providers, it makes the team at Topps even more valuable to the customers that stay because it means that they know that they are going to get the right solution for their situation. 

It is this humanism and care for quality that has built long-lasting partnerships between Topps and their customers. James gave some examples, sharing, “We still have people who work with us whose relatives have been working with us for more than half a century. Our customers in Dubai, for example. The previous owner was working with the old owner of our company and now I'm actually working with the grandchildren of that person.” Looking to the future and other adventures, James stated that he has positioned Topps to continue to build a good company and strong partnerships. He shared, “When I say Topps is a good company, I'm not talking about stock prices and shares. I'm just talking about good quality products and good people.” 

Learn more about Topps’ dedicated team and their high quality products online.

By Lauren White.  

There’s no voodoo involved when talking about cool surfaces at the CRRC Annual Meeting.  

Between ghost tours, vampire apothecaries and beignets, the Big Easy hosted the Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC) annual meeting. From June 10-12, 2025, members of the CRRC, committee members, sponsors and interested individuals ventured south to New Orleans, Louisiana to talk about Cool Surfaces in Action.  

Day 1 - Committee meeting day  

After breakfast, handshakes and hello’s, the technical committee kicked off the day with roll call, minute approvals and proposed revisions and changes. George Daisy with DOW and the chair of the CRRC technical committee; Sarah Schneider, CRRC deputy director; and Stacey Weister, CRRC senior technical manager presented throughout the morning.  

About 40 people in person and a handful via Zoom convened for the first half of the day making decisions about definition edits and procedural changes to five-point reflectance test updates and insights on the program manual digitization project. 

After the lunch break, the educational committee meeting started both in person and via Zoom for those who couldn’t travel this week. Kurt Shickman, an interested individual and the educational committee chair; Audrey McGarrell, CRRC communications manager; and Iona Isachsen, Smart Surfaces Coalition shared:  

• Project updates and timelines for completion  
• Downloads and resources information  
• Cool surfaces lesson plan status update  

At the end of the day, the floor opened up for anyone to talk about new business, ask questions and for updates on ongoing projects and discuss future priorities and projects.  

Day 2 - Annual meeting time 

This year, about 70 people, ranging from roofing contractors and interested individuals to manufacturers and research and academic professionals, convened to hear updates, ask questions and learn about new initiatives happening across the nation.   

Sponsors for the event include: Ace Laboratories as a platinum sponsor; Duro-Last, 3M, Climate Reserve, PRI, MACOMA as gold sponsors; IKO, DOW, Atlas, Siplast, Westlake Royal Roofing Solutions, RoofersCoffeeShop® as silver sponsors; Topps Products and R&D Services as bronze sponsors. 

Attendees represented a range of professionals from state energy offices, laboratories, distributors, codes and compliance divisions and universities. Some companies in attendance included: Sherwin-Williams, General Coatings, Western Colloid, Polyglass, 3M, ACE Laboratories, Hawaii State Energy Office, National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), CertainTeed, National Coil Coatings Association, among others.  

A common theme throughout updates and presentations during the day was expanding reach and education. The CRRC continues to grow and while most members are located in the United States, there are now members in India and Australia. They also continue to broaden their reach through podcasts and webinars, speaking and showcasing at trade shows, publishing new resources, building up their social media – go follow them on LinkedIn, Instagram and Threads – and more! The morning was full of committee information and updates. 

Looking ahead, their goals are to continue to educate building contractors, increase code and program references, make cool surface research more accessible, and also improve and grow existing rating programs.  

Marty Hastings Award   

The 2025 recipient of the Marty Hastings Award is Kurt Shickman who has been a member of the CRRC for over a decade and has held multiple leadership roles throughout the years. The Marty Hastings Award was started in 2011 to honor Marty Hastings, a longtime CRRC board member and contributor. The recipient of this award is someone who makes great contributions to the CRRC and their efforts. In addition to the award, a monetary donation is made to a charity of the recipient’s choice. Kurt chose to donate to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI), Future Climate Leaders Scholarship. The EESI is a nonprofit offering science-based education to policymakers and the public, aiming to build a sustainable, resilient future through solutions to climate, energy and environmental challenges. This donation will go to fund scholarships and other academic support programs for students at historically black colleges.  

Cool guest presentations about cool surfaces  

Adopting cool roofs in historically cool climates  

Julia Nassar, senior energy and climate planner for The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) for Greater Boston shared about “Expanding Cool Roof Awareness and Adoption in Metro-Boston.” MAPC is a regional planning agency serving the people who live and work in the 101 cities and towns of the Metropolitan Boston region. According to Julia, the frequency and severity of extreme heat events in historically cooler regions like New England where aging housing stock, low AC prevalence and limited heat-risk awareness leaves residents ill-prepared. MAPC’s Cool Roofs Initiative is a project aimed at expanding the awareness and adoption of cool roofs to help reduce heat and energy demand. Their goal is to promote the adoption of cools roofs in the Metro Mayors (16 cities making up the inner core of Boston) region through developing support tools and resources. 

Through the Cool Roof’s Initiative, they developed tools and resources to raise awareness among building owners, contractors and policymakers in Metro-Boston. Julia shared a variety of resources available, including: 

• Cool roof self-assessment: 11 question assessment to help people determine if a cool roof is right for a property  
• Cool roof suitability tool – Interactive map that allows users to identify opportunities for cool roof retrofits. 
• An Educational Toolkit that’s translated into five different languages  
• Market analysis of cool roof potential 

Data and climate action and heat mitigation  

Douglas Melnick, chief sustainability officer for the city of San Antonio, about heat mitigation efforts and ongoing research efforts in San Antonio. As the sixth largest city in the U.S. with 17% of the population identified as low income, rising temperatures are affecting more people, costing more and having major negative impacts. San Antonio saw a record high of 117 degrees Fahrenheit in 2024! According to Douglas, “Extreme heat is here and it’s only going to continue to get more severe as we see an increase in temperatures because of human-caused climate change.”  

During his presentation, “SA Climate Ready and Cool Neighborhoods: A Data-driven Approach to Climate Action and Heat Mitigation,” Douglas shared about the Urban Heat Mitigation Program that the City of San Antonio launched in 2024. Following an extensive mapping process, the City’s Office of Sustainability launched a Cool Neighborhood Program in four target areas to concentrate layered heat mitigation activities in conjunction with ongoing research. Based on the research, 73% of people shared that they were interested in cooler roofs as a strategy to mitigate heat. When cool roofs were installed on homes there was a significant 7.3% energy use reduction and a 10.1-degree reduction. The Cool Pavement Program started in 2023 and as of this year they’re on track to install 22.35 miles of cool pavement. Possible materials being tested are: GAF Streetbond – Durashield, SealMaster – SolarPave, GuardTop – Iron.    

Albedo management  

I learned a new term during this presentation: albedo. Albedo is the Latin word for “whiteness” or “lightness” and is the measure of how reflective a surface is. “Shine On: Recognizing Local and Global Benefits of Albedo Management” was presented by members from Climate Resolve. Bryn Moncelsi, deputy director, and Selena Melgoza, senior climate solutions analyst shared details about the Shine On Initiative, which was launched to recognize the full range of benefits of cool surfaces to spur broader deployment. A nonprofit based in Los Angeles, California, Climate Resolve’s mission is to champion equitable climate solutions. As of January 2015, Climate Resolve passed LA’s Cool Roof Ordinance and Rebate requiring all new and replacement roofs to be a cool roof. They were the first major city to establish a cool roof ordinance, and 10 years later, over 18 million square feet of cool roofing materials have been installed.  

While cool streets are still in the pilot phase, they continue to work with the community and industry partners to reach widespread adoption. According to Climate Resolve, 40% of asphalt cover radiates heat all day and night, making it crucial to cool these surfaces not only for people accessing the streets but also to curb the urban heat island effect. As part of their pilot they have installed cool materials in a variety of city blocks, outdoor basketball courts and have seen a heat differential as high as 12 degrees Fahrenheit. While it’s still gaining traction, to date there have been 182 lane miles installed and they’re looking forward to more adoption and installation in the future.  

This is my second year attending the CRRC Annual Meeting, and I learned just as much this year as I did last year in Las Vegas! It’s pretty incredible to be in the same room as other like-minded people from around the world who are working towards a more sustainable future. We write a lot on The Coffee Shops about sustainability and green initiatives, and the work the CRRC is doing is vitally important. I continue to be impressed with the brilliant minds who are helping the world stay cool.