Anyone familiar with green building or the LEED Certification process should know that great emphasis is placed on the reflectivity of open spaces.

Under LEED Credit SS 7.1, for example, parking lots and open spaces must have a reflectivity (SRI) of at least 29 to qualify for credit. Similar, roof installations must contain a percentage of vegetation or reflectivity to achieve credit SS 7.2.

The idea of pavement and roofs being white, instead of black, in other words, isn’t new.

However, in the news this week is a rather radical proclamation by a scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab in California, who opine that painting rooftops whiter will cause enough sunlight to bounce back into space and cool the planet. They also aver that it will save in energy costs, as the planet – and individual homes – will stay cooler.

Contractors in Louisiana might want to take note of the study, as the state has generally hot summers and year-long weather. There may soon be a market in taking residential and commercial roof installations, and coloring them white.

Marketing the sale of a “white roof” or “white roof coating” has already begun actually.  See this Craig’s list ad, and Spray Foam Louisiana’s website for cool roof systems.

Of course, with any type of green construction, it will be important to insulate your company’s offering from liability. The idea of a “white roof” lowering energy costs for individual homeowners is just that: an idea, and there are many other variables (insulation, roof type, etc.) impacting the energy costs of a home of business.

One of the dangers with “green building” is the promises that come along with the construction offers. Selling your service by highlighting energy savings and performance enhancements is legally problematic if the service doesn’t result in savings and efficiency.

If your company is engaged in a service that promises energy savings, be aware, and speak with an attorney about how you can protect yourself from potential liability by smart contracting.