GAF launches roofing industry’s first self-service roof energy calculator and rebate finder

GAF, North America’s largest roofing manufacturer, is pleased to announce CREST, the Cool Roof Energy and Sustainability Tool. Available at cool.gaf.com, CREST is a unique tool designed to help contractors, consultants and building owners compare the energy cost savings of different roofing systems options.

Easy to use, mobile-enabled, with preloaded utility cost information by zip code, CREST greatly eases the process of comparing multiple roof design options; varying levels of reflectivity; and multiple thicknesses of insulation.  CREST allows the building professional to print a customized report that includes images of the building site from publicly-available, internet-based mapping services, and searches rebates to the zip code level, including hard-to-find municipal and utility rebates, to give a truer sense of the real costs and benefits of different roofing system decisions.  A proposal-quality report is generated for immediate free download.

“Our goal is maximum configurability, capability, and ease of use,” says Martin Grohman, Director of Sustainability for GAF.  “Some calculators encourage assumptions, such as electric heat in commercial spaces, that are rare in practice.”

Since peak electrical demand often occurs on the hottest days of the year, peak energy loading is very important in modeling the effectiveness of cool roofing. To ease the process of projecting peak energy loads, CREST queries both the Oak Ridge National Labs (ORNL) “CoolCalc” and “CoolCalc Peak” calculators in a single step, using an easy to use app-style format.

CREST was developed in conjunction with GreenOhm, a leading technology company that maintains one of the largest datasets of energy efficiency rebates, incentives and tax credits and easily links this information to provide a complete picture to property owners.

To learn more, visit gaf.com/green.

About GAF
Founded in 1886, GAF has become the largest roofing manufacturer in North America. The company’s products include a comprehensive portfolio of steep-slope and commercial roofing systems, which are supported by an extensive national network of factory-certified contractors. Its success is driven by its commitment to Advanced Quality, Industry Expertise, and Solutions Made Simple for contractors, specifiers, and property owners alike. In 2011, GAF was the first roofing manufacturer to offer a Lifetime limited warranty on all of its laminated shingles and, in 2012, it introduced the GAF Lifetime Roofing System.

With a focus on social responsibility, GAF has developed Advanced Protection® Shingle Technology, which provides superior durability and wind resistance while reducing the use of scarce natural resources. The company has also developed single-ply and asphaltic membranes with superior durability and high reflectivity to meet the most rigorous industry standards while helping commercial property owners and designers reduce energy consumption.

GAF also supports the roofing industry through CARE, the Center for the Advancement of Roofing Excellence, which has provided education to over 125,000 professionals. CARE’s mission is to help professional contractors and distributors build their businesses through sales and management education, and to provide product and installation training to contractors, distributors, architects, property owners, and related industry personnel. For more information about GAF, visit www.gaf.com.