Based on a concern that the design community, standards committees and local governments are being provided with faulty recommendations based on flawed science, the EPDM Roofing Association (ERA) assembled a group of roofing industry representatives and experts to conduct a preliminary critical review of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) study entitled “Economic Comparison of White, Green and Black Flat Roofs in the United States” published in the March 2014, issue of Energy and Buildings. The following are general observations regarding the LBNL study that point to a systematic failure to comply with scientific method, resulting in potentially biased and highly uncertain conclusions and recommendations. These general observations are followed by a more detailed analysis in the second section of this document. ERA and the industry it represents (manufacturers of both black and white roof membranes) welcome a response and dialogue with the LBNL researchers on this matter and regret that such opportunity was not afforded during their study and prior to publication.
Source: EPDM Roofing Association