Cool Rooftops!

In thinking about LEED certification, I remembered past class discussions in AP Environmental Science about the value, in terms of energy saved and increased albedo,of white rooftops. I heard a great interview on NPRs "Living on Earth" about this topic a few weeks ago, and was surprised to learn that California has had a requirement since 2005 that flat roofs be painted white, and starting next year, will require new buildings in the warmest parts of the state to have roofs painted either white, or with new "cool pigment" paints that reflect light. You can see the transcript of the discussion here. I also found a terrific summary of the entire issue; the pdf can be found here.