Thermally-Activated Roof Tiles Are Very Cool, Could Save You Money

In the winter time black roofs are essential for absorbing heat and helping to keep our houses warm. Unfortunately, during the hot summer months those same black shingle absorb heat, causing our house to rise considerably in temperature. That’s where Thermally-Activated tiles come into play and save money on cooling expenses.

A group of MIT students developed the cool looking roofing material which they’ve dubbed Thermeleon and which change color based on temperatures.

According to the developers, the white tiles reflect 80 percent of the sunlight that falls on them, while the black coloring only reflects about 30 percent.

According to Gizmodo:

“This would translate into about a 20 percent saving on cooling costs in the summer.”

No plans have materialized at this point to sell the tiles and we haven’t been able to obtain any type of possible pricing, but even a 50% higher cost than standard tiles would pay for themselves well within the life of the installation.

We’ll stay on the lookout for an update on these cool new roofing shingles.