A new global initiative was launched in the summer orf 2010 under the name of White Roofs Alliance (WRA). It is dedicated to advancing policies and actions that increase the solar reflectance of buildings and pavements as a low or no-cost way to promote cool buildings, cool cities, and to mitigate the effects of climate change..
The White Roofs Alliance (WRA) will pursue this mission through the development of five different programs as follows:
- 100 Cool Cities – recruit and obtain commitments from 100 major cities across the world by 2015 with widespread installation of cool surfaces by 2020
- National action – advance national regulatory and legislative actions that support the implementation of cool surfaces by 2020 in the US and other key countries
- Building and pavement codes – promote the inclusion of cool surfaces such as white roofs in all US and international building and pavement codes globally by 2015 and with initial focus on US, China and India
- Financial mechanisms – develop financial mechanisms that broadly support the installation of cool surfaces by 2015 in the US and other key countries
- Research and Development – ensure that research on cool surfaces is well supported and well disseminated
The White Roofs Alliance has provided technical input into the energy and finance bills before the US Congress in the summer and fall of 2010, and secured three founding members of its 100 Cool Cities network (Athens, New York City, and Taipei). More information on WRA can be found at whiteroofsalliance.org.