Energy Star Roof Products Program will not be changing its test procedures.

At a recent meeting between the Cool Metal Roofing Coalition and the EPA, Energy Star officials stated that amidst the number of changes being made to all 60 programs, the Energy Star Roof Products Program would not be changing its test procedures. The current criteria of minimum solar reflectance values, both initial and aged, will remain in place, with no criteria for thermal emittance being added. In addition, the Energy Star representatives told the Coalition that the products that are currently on the Energy Star directory, including those that are submitted before Dec 31, 2010, will not be re-tested but “grandfathered” into the program. This was due to the lack of laboratory capacity, time and expense to re-test all products under the new procedures that will be implemented. The most significant change to the Energy Star program will be the introduction of Certification Bodies taking on the role that EPA had played in the past, by administering the certification test protocols, processing all submission forms, verifying that products are being tested by accredited laboratories and that they meet the Energy Star performance criteria. The final version of the revamped program is expected by the end of this year.