The NYC °CoolRoofs initiative encourages building owners to cool their rooftops by applying a reflective white coating that reduces energy use, cooling costs and carbon emissions. The program supports New York City’s goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2030, as outlined in PlaNYC – the City’s comprehensive sustainability plan.

A multi-year study of cool roof performance conducted by NASA and Columbia University in New York City reinforced the initiative’s values when it discovered that even the least expensive white roof coating reduced peak rooftop temperatures in summer by an average of 43 degrees Fahrenheit. If white roofs were implemented on a wide scale, as the city plans to do, this reduction could cut into the “urban heat island” effect that pumps up nighttime temperatures in the city by as much as 5 to 7 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer, said the study’s lead scientist, Stuart Gaffin of Columbia University.