Deliberate Words

What A Week! Reflecting on Reflectance

Season 1 Episode 18

 This episode tackles confusion around roofing sustainability metrics. Steve breaks down the difference between solar reflectance (SR), emissivity, and solar reflectance index (SRI), explaining how SR and emissivity work together to calculate SRI and why mixing all three in a specification can create conflicts. The team discusses how different programs like LEED, ENERGY STAR, and CalGreen use different metrics, which fuels misunderstanding. The takeaway: understand which system applies, say it once in the right place, and use tools like the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab SRI calculator to clarify data gaps and keep specs aligned with performance goals.