This bill directs the Secretary of Energy to establish and run a rebate program that pays eligible households to purchase and install cool roof products listed by the Cool Roof Rating Council. Rebates vary by roof type and product performance, with separate thresholds for low-sloped and steep-sloped systems.
The program also allows stacking with other financial assistance and includes a defined sunset and reporting requirements. It defines who qualifies as an eligible household and sets funding and incentive-calculation rules designed to promote energy efficiency in homes.
At a Glance
What It Does
The Secretary must establish a rebate program for eligible households to buy and install eligible cool roof products. Rebates depend on roof slope and on product performance metrics such as solar reflectance and thermal emittance, with explicit per-square-foot limits.
Who It Affects
Eligible households (income up to 200% of ZIP-code median, Heat Index criteria) living in single- or multi-family buildings, plus roofing contractors, product manufacturers, and installers of CRRC-listed products.
Why It Matters
By tying rebates to objective performance metrics, the bill aims to lower cooling costs, reduce energy use, and spur adoption of durable, high-reflectance roofing in heat-prone areas.
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What This Bill Actually Does
The bill creates a federal program under the Department of Energy to subsidize the installation of cool roof products that meet CRRC standards. It sets two rebate tracks based on roof slope: low-sloped roofs and steep-sloped roofs, with higher per-square-foot rebates tied to stronger performance metrics (such as specific solar reflectance and thermal emittance thresholds or Solar Reflectance Index values).
The rebates are available to eligible households, defined by income, location, and health-climate indicators, and they can be stacked with other forms of financial assistance. Funding is authorized from 2026 through 2030, and a separate provision funds an update to the Cool Roof Calculator used to quantify performance and rebates.
The act also requires a post-termination report to Congress detailing participant outcomes and products used. Finally, it includes a broad set of definitions to standardize terms like “eligible household,” “3-year aged,” and “eligible cool roof product.”
The Five Things You Need to Know
The program provides per-square-foot rebates for cool roof products installed on low-sloped roofs and on steep-sloped roofs.
Rebate amounts depend on product performance metrics tested over 3 years (e.g.
solar reflectance, thermal emittance, or CRRC-based indices).
Eligible households must have income under 200% of ZIP-code median and meet Heat Index criteria.
Funding of $25 million per year is authorized from 2026–2030, plus $600,000 to update the Cool Roof Calculator.
The program ends on September 30, 2030, and a Congress-report is due within 6 months of termination.
Section-by-Section Breakdown
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Short title
This Act may be cited as the Cool Roof Rebate Act of 2025. It establishes the formal name for reference and sets the stage for the program’s authorization and scope.
Establishment of rebate program
The Secretary of Energy must establish and operate a program that provides rebates to eligible households for the purchase and installation of eligible cool roof products listed by the Cool Roof Rating Council. This creates the federal framework and administrative foundation for the rebates.
Rebate amounts by roof type and product metrics
Rebates are tiered by roof slope (low-sloped vs steep-sloped) and by performance metrics. For low-sloped roofs, rebates depend on whether the product meets specific 3-year-aged solar reflectance and thermal emittance thresholds or CRRC-index values, with distinct per-square-foot amounts. A parallel structure applies to steep-sloped roofs, with higher thresholds for asphalt shingle and non-asphalt products and corresponding per-square-foot rebates.
Combining rebates with other assistance
Nothing in the section prevents an eligible household from receiving other grants or rebates relating to the same cool roof product. The program’s rebates can be stacked with other financial support, enabling broader cost coverage for participants.
Termination date
The rebate program terminates on September 30, 2030, after which no new rebates may be issued under this authority.
Reporting requirement
Not later than six months after termination, the Secretary must report to Congress on program participation, including retrofitting versus new roof installations and the specific products purchased with rebates.
Authorization of appropriations
Authorized appropriations include $25,000,000 per fiscal year from 2026 through 2030 to run the rebate program, plus $600,000 to update the Cool Roof Calculator used to quantify performance metrics.
Definitions
Key terms include: 3-year aged, asphalt shingle, eligible cool roof product (CRRC-rated), eligible household (income, ZIP-code median, Heat Index criteria), low-sloped and steep-sloped roofs, Solar Reflectance Index, thermal emittance, and related technical standards. These definitions ensure consistent measurement and eligibility across the program.
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Explore Energy in Codify Search →Who Benefits and Who Bears the Cost
Every bill creates winners and losers. Here's who stands to gain and who bears the cost.
Who Benefits
- Eligible households in single- or multi-family housing who meet income and climate criteria gain rebates that offset roof upgrade costs and energy savings.
- Roofing contractors and installers benefit from increased demand for CRRC-listed cool roof products and the associated project work.
- Manufacturers and retailers of CRRC-listed cool roof products see expanded market uptake and potential standardization incentives.
- Local housing agencies and energy programs can leverage rebates to support energy efficiency and heat mitigation initiatives.
Who Bears the Cost
- Federal taxpayers fund the rebates through annual appropriations.
- The Department of Energy bears administrative and reporting costs to run and monitor the program.
- Product manufacturers and contractors may incur compliance costs to meet CRRC standards and program documentation.
- Any administrative costs to states or localities for program administration fall on those entities if they participate in supplemental efforts.
Key Issues
The Core Tension
The central dilemma is balancing generous, outcome-focused rebates that accelerate adoption with the need to control costs and ensure durable performance across diverse housing stock and climates, all within a fixed budget and a finite time window.
The bill ties rebates to measurable product performance, which creates practical advantages in ensuring funds drive real energy savings. However, it also relies on performance metrics that can vary with climate, installation quality, and product aging.
The sunset date in 2030 means the program is finite, raising questions about long-term adoption and maintenance of installed cool roofs after funding ends. The eligibility rules—particularly the 200 percent of ZIP-code median income and Heat Index thresholds—aim to target efficiency gains to vulnerable populations but could complicate outreach and verification in some regions.
Finally, while stacking with other assistance can increase affordability, it requires coordination across programs to prevent duplicative payments or misallocation of funds.
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