Has anyone had luck getting a good SRI rating out of existing ballasted roofs? Apart from sending this to a lab, are there any charts or other information to use? Has anyone successfully gotten this credit when their building has a majority of light-colored ballasted roofs?
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Tristan Roberts
RepresentativeVermont House of Representatives
LEEDuser Expert
11477 thumbs up
May 28, 2010 - 9:36 pm
Cara, I don't have definite answers to any of your very good questions, but I did find some interesting resources. A fairly recent note in the Cool Roofs Rating Council newsletter that makes it sound like ballasted roofs are gaining acceptance as "cool" roofs. Also, a study from ORNL that may be behind some of this recognition.I'm not sure where this leaves you, except perhaps with some encouragement that you're on a reasonable path.
Jennifer Preston
BKSK Architects64 thumbs up
June 1, 2010 - 10:22 am
Just to clarify a bit further, while white ballasted roofs are showing evidence of performing as well as other "cool roof" systems, the USGBC does not recognize any flat roof material under a 78 SRI for the SScr7.2 LEED credit. This is because the intention of the credit for micro-climate development is not met by materials that do not meet this threshold.
Jonathan Weiss
Jacobs Buildings & Infrastructure215 thumbs up
August 16, 2010 - 10:32 am
Just to echo what is stated above - we submitted a CIR about a ballasted roof referencing the ORNL study and the CRRC information, and the response to the CIR confirmed that although the ballasted roof performs as well or better than a white roof for energy purposes, it does not meet LEED's requirements, because of the micro-climate issues listed above. It still may be better to use a ballasted roof in some situations, and forgo this particular LEED point.