Question

How does installing a cool roof help save energy?

A. By encouraging people to spend time on the roof, less energy needs to be used for cooling the building.
B. By absorbing sunlight, the building no longer needs to rely on a heating system.
C. By keeping air conditioner units on the rooftop, less runoff heat is captured by the building in the cooling process.
D. By reflecting the sun's light, the building's cooling systems have less work to do.

Answer 1

Installing a cool roof helps save energy by reflecting the sunlight instead of absorbing it, reducing the amount of heat that enters the building. This decreases the workload of the cooling systems and ultimately results in energy savings.

Step-by-step explanation:

An easy way to save energy in buildings is by installing a cool roof. A cool roof is designed to reflect sunlight instead of absorbing it like a traditional roof. By reflecting the sun's light, cool roofs can significantly reduce the amount of heat that enters the building.

When sunlight energy reaches Earth, some of it is reflected or absorbed depending on the surface it encounters. Light-colored surfaces, like a cool roof, tend to reflect most of the sunlight instead of absorbing it. This helps to keep the building cooler and reduces the need for air conditioning, ultimately saving energy.

For example, if a building has a cool roof, the cooling systems in the building have less work to do because the roof reflects a significant amount of the sun's heat. As a result, less energy is needed to keep the building cool, leading to energy savings.