美國能源部長史蒂芬朱(Steven Chu)19日宣布，部內所有機關將採用一系列屋頂降溫的措施，設計師將於今年夏天開始為能源部總部改裝。史蒂芬朱鼓勵其他聯邦機構使用涼爽屋頂技術重新裝設屋頂。「涼爽屋頂」（cool roofs）使用淺色屋頂表面或特殊塗料，反射更多太陽熱能，有利於提高效率、減少降溫成本與碳排放。
目前，位於紐約阿普頓(Upton)的布魯克海文國家實驗室、以及位於愛達荷佛斯(Idaho Falls)的愛達荷國家實驗室，也已採行「涼爽屋頂計畫」，整體來說，此計畫涵蓋範圍超過35萬平方英尺，每年可以為納稅人省下數千美元。
美國聯邦機構正致力於在2020年之前，減少自身28%溫室氣體排放量。為此，能源部長朱已通令所有能源部辦公室裝設降溫屋頂。不管是新建屋頂或是改建舊屋頂，只要在屋頂使用壽命期間符合成本效益即可。
美國能源部也發布了「涼爽屋頂選擇指南」，可為各種屋頂材質提供技術協助，以及對特定機構如何選擇合適屋頂，這將有助於要安裝涼爽屋頂的聯邦或商業大樓。
屋頂和路面佔了50%到65%都市面積，因為吸收大量熱能，深色屋頂和道路創造了所謂的「都市熱島效應」，也就是城市溫度比環繞鄉村的地區高溫。涼爽屋頂藉著降低熱排放而減輕熱島效應、改善空氣品質。
美國勞倫斯柏克萊國家實驗室的最近一項研究發現，如果全世界的城市舖設涼爽屋頂和涼爽鋪面，可以降低冷氣機需求，使整個城市降溫，並可能消除高達兩年的全球二氧化碳排放的熱效應。
另外，能源部核能安全管理局（NNSA）則已透過「屋頂管理計劃」（Roof Asset Management Program），目前平均一年節省50萬美元的能源成本，預計在未來 15年可節省超過 1,000萬美元。
Designers will begin this summer on cool roof replacements for the Department of Energy Headquarters in Washington, and Energy Secretary Steven Chu Monday announced a series of cool roof initiatives underway across the department. Secretary Chu also is encouraging other federal agencies to re-roof their buildings with cool roof technologies.
Cool roofs use light-colored roofing surfaces or special coatings to reflect more of the Sun's heat, helping improve building efficiency by reducing cooling costs and offsetting carbon emissions.
Cool roof projects are also underway at Idaho National Laboratory in Idaho Falls and Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, New York. Collectively, these projects will cover over 350,000 square feet and save thousands of dollars for taxpayers annually.
The federal government is committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions 28 percent by 2020. As part of that effort, Secretary Chu has directed all DOE offices to install cool roofs, whenever cost effective over the lifetime of the roof, when constructing new roofs or replacing old ones at DOE facilities.
To offer additional support for federal and commercial building operators that want to install cool roofs, DOE released its Guidelines for Selecting Cool Roofs, which provides technical assistance on types of roofing materials and how to select the roof that will work best on a specific facility.
Roofs and road pavement cover 50 to 65 percent of urban areas. Because they absorb so much heat, dark-colored roofs and roadways create what is called the "urban heat island effect," where a city is warmer than its surrounding rural areas. Cool roofs reduce the heat island effect and improve air quality by reducing emissions.
A recent study by researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that using cool roofs and cool pavements in cities around the world can help reduce the demand for air conditioning, cool entire cities, and potentiallycancel the heating effect of up to two years of worldwide carbon dioxide emissions.
Through the Roof Asset Management Program, NNSA currently saves an average of $500,000 a year in energy costs and expects to save more than $10 million over the next 15 years.
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