Drexel Metals Products Are Cool...And ENERGY STAR® Verified

Drexel Metals' cool roofing metals are finding their way onto more residential projects, in part because homeowners are able to qualify for a Federal tax credit when they choose a Drexel metal roof as a replacement for an existing roof.

As a leading provider of equipment, materials, engineering and warranties for the production of standing seam metal roofing systems, Drexel Metals Inc. is proud to be able to promote 34 ENERGY STAR®-labeled cool metal roofing products. These energy-saving roof materials can be utilized for a wide variety of steep-slope and low-slope applications, and are offered in a full palette of popular colors and mill finishes.

In today’s energy-conscious society it is more important than ever to use cool metal roofing to lower cooling energy consumption and cost. And the accepted standard for measuring the coolness of roofing — metal and otherwise — is ENERGY STAR.

The ENERGY STAR label was first introduced in 1992 and is now one of the most recognized brands in the world. Since its inception, the ENERGY STAR program has grown to include sixty different product categories – including roofing products. In fact, the ENERGY STAR program even includes criteria for labeling an entire home as being ENERGY STAR compliant. Last year alone Americans saved $7 billion on energy bills thanks to the help of ENERGY STAR products. Drexel Metals Inc. became an ENERGY STAR Partner on December 31, 2007.

The interest in ENERGY STAR within the building construction industry goes beyond the saving of energy. For example, homeowners who use Drexel Metals’ ENERGY STAR prepainted metal roofing products as a replacement for an existing roof can qualify for a Federal tax credit of up to $500. Builders of homes and owners of commercial buildings that use cool roofing to lower the energy consumption of buildings can qualify for tax deductions when they can project energy usage below prescribed levels. The newly revised ENERGY STAR Homes program also references the use of ENERGY STAR labeled-roofing in Climate Zones 1, 2 and 3 as a way to comply with the prerequisite for receiving the label.

The PVDF resin used in Drexel's ENERGY STAR-labeled roof coatings is formulated to maintain its initial color and gloss characteristics for decades, ensuring that the roof will not only look good, but maintain its energy efficient qualities for the life of the roof.

According to Jennifer Thompson, Director of Business Development and Marketing, “Installing a Drexel Metals Inc. cool metal roof can help your home with a number of issues besides cooling costs. Increasing the energy efficiency in your home, and reducing roof maintenance are two examples. All of this adds up to spending less time and money taking care of the roof while it helps to improve thermal comfort in the home.”

In addition to complying with all of the ENERGY STAR Roof Products Program requirements, Drexel Metals’ Energy Star labeled products are available with a Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF) premium paint system. The PVDF resin used in these durable paint systems is formulated to retain the initial color and gloss for decades. More importantly, research by the Cool Metal Roofing Coalition and the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory has concluded that PVDF-coated metal roofing materials can retain 95% of their initial solar reflectance for many years beyond the ENERGY STAR prescribed 3-years of aging. In some cases, the solar reflectance measured after more than thirty years was found to be 95% of its original value. That’s good news for homeowners and building owners who use Drexel Metals’ PVDF prepainted cool metal roofing. This means that not only will the original beautiful appearance of the roof remain intact, but the energy savings related to the roof realized from day one will remain consistent over the life of the roof, since the surface radiative properties barely change over time.

About Drexel Metals

Drexel Metals Inc. is a provider of coil, engineering support and machinery to jobsite fabricators of metal roofing. For more information visit www.residentialmetalroof.com.