FLUSHING —A campaign to slow energy use and reduce buildings' carbon footprint by painting their roofs white has kicked off its third year.
“CoolRoof” daubed the roof of Kiely Hall, at Queens College, with paint.
“This college has been committed for a long time to being green and our carbon footprint is as small as possible,” said Queens College President James L. Muyskens at the ceremony last week.
“The temperature taken this morning on the uncoated roof was 137 degrees, painted 87. You don’t have to say any more of the effect,” said Muyskens.
“This program specifically targets existing buildings, which is a part of our major carbon footprint, and it can really accelerate the changes,” said Robert LiMandri, Commissioner of the city's Buildings Department which runs the program.
“If you can do enough of it in the central area, you can actually change the way it feels not only on the roof, but actually down on the ground also,“ he said. “
According to NYC Service, an initiative to promote volunteerism in the city, 3.5 million square feet of roof have been painted in the last three years.
