Living Solutions: Camilla’s New Cool Roof
How an SSG climate expert found unexpected comfort from a roof upgrade
19 August 2025
Living Solutions is a series which focuses on how SSGers are taking climate action in their personal lives. In this installment, we feature SSG Senior Consultant Camilla Melrose’s ‘cool’ roof renovation.
A majority of the energy used in residential homes in North America goes toward heating and cooling—65% in Canada and 52% in the United States. Choosing efficient systems like heat pumps and pairing them with building upgrades, such as cool roofs can dramatically cut emissions, save money, and improve comfort.
Camilla lives in Nova Scotia where summer temperatures can reach highs of 30°C and in the winter lows of -15°C. This past summer, she was pleasantly surprised by how much difference her roof colour choice made to the temperature of her home.
Camilla’s Cool Roof Story
A few years ago, my family replaced our oil furnace with a heat pump. It’s been fantastic: efficient, quiet, and good for the climate. But because our system is ducted, we’ve needed to rely on one thermostat controlling the whole house. That means the basement stays chilly, the main level comfortable, and the upstairs—where my office and bedroom are—much too warm in summer.
Normally this wasn’t a big deal, but during heat waves the upstairs could get unbearably hot. I’d have to move my laptop to the basement to be able to work, and sometimes camp out downstairs to sleep. Not exactly the air-conditioned dream.
This spring, we replaced our old asphalt shingles with a new metal roof. It was pricier than shingles, but we liked its 50-year lifespan, storm resistance, and the fact that we wouldn’t find bits of tar in our yard anymore. The biggest difference, though, came from one small design choice: we went from a black roof to a light grey one.
The change has been astonishing. With nothing else altered in the house, our upstairs now stays noticeably cooler—even during heat warnings. I’ve been able to raise the “cool-to” temperature on our thermostat, while still feeling more comfortable than before.
I always knew lighter, reflective roofs absorb less heat, but experiencing the results firsthand has been incredible. It’s proof that some climate-smart upgrades aren’t just good for the planet—they make life better, too.
With nothing else altered in the house, our upstairs now stays noticeably cooler, even during heat warnings.
60%
heat from dark roofs can transfer to the top floor of buildings
Why Cool Roofs Matter
Camilla’s experience lines up with what researchers have found: dark roofs can reach 50–70 °C in summer, transferring up to 60% of that heat into the top floor. Cool roofs—made with light colours and reflective materials—can cut peak cooling demand by 11–27%. They also:
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution by lowering AC use,
- Improve indoor comfort and health, especially during heat waves.
- Mitigate urban heat islands and even reduce heat-related mortality.
- Extend roof lifespans by reducing thermal stress.
In other words, they’re a win for comfort, climate, and communities.
The Big Picture: Roofs + Heat Pumps
Cool roofs and heat pumps work even better together. The roof reduces the heat load on the home, making the heat pump’s cooling more effective and efficient. And in winter, the same heat pump provides cozy, low-carbon heating.
About the Author
Camilla (she/her) is an environmental scientist, and splits her time at SSG working on climate mitigation and adaptation projects. Her experience in climate change planning, water and wildlife conservation, and landscape modelling bring a broad range of skills and ideas to her work.
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