What effect would painting all roofs white have on global warming?

Answer 1

even if all the people of the world did that, the impact wouldn't be as significant as reducing carbon consumption of the world by 10%.

Answer 2

Hmm, interesting. I don't think it would work though. Roofing tiles are not white ( i mean, that their materials are not white) so i don't think it'd be practical at all. I don't think it would have any effect on global warming. Living roofs, on the other hand, have the possibility of making an impact, since they would actually absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The city hall in Chicago has a living roof (a roof with a bunch of plants on top of it).

Answer 3

Generally Paint is not compatible with roofing materials
White is a useful idea

~ first, if you install white or near white shingles they stay cooler and last longer. This is a personal saving as well as an environmental saving.
~ second, because the home stays cooler it generates less of a cooling load on your air conditioning and uses less energy.
~ third, a small amount of light is reflected back into space.

so ... yes, making a roof white does have a good net value, and is worth doing.
White shingles for homes and white stone for flat roofs is available at the same cost as darker materials so use proper roofing materials.
But forget the idea of using paint.

Answer 4

If all man-made surfaces were painted white it would have some cooling effect.
conversly melting glaciers exposing rock increases the rate of heating.

However, better overall benefit could be obtained by reducing the size of house and improving design so reducing the habitat destruction and the embodied energy and heating/cooling energy requirements.

Answer 5

White will reflect most of the light, causing more rays to rebound back into the atmosphere.

Answer 6

Nada. Paint away, have a field day.

Answer 7

zero