The famous theatrical play "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" was penned in Key West by legendary playwright and resident Tennessee Williams.
In 1955, Williams' title and dialogue brilliantly captured the essence of his dramatic characters, "Victory of a cat on a hot tin roof? Just stayin' on it, I guess ... as long as she can."
Today, that iconic image of a cat encountering a hot tin roof in Key West -- jumpy and leaping off the hot surface -- telegraphs the role of tin roofs in energy inefficiency and global warming. That's right -- global warming.
This past Tuesday, the Key West City Commission unanimously approved a resolution to adopt and begin implementing a Climate Action Plan. This plan was created by the volunteer members of a Climate Action Committee under the leadership of facilitator and city Environmental Programs Manager Annalise Mannix.
The action plan has five major components: renewable energy; solid/sewer wastewater management; transportation emissions; building energy efficiency; and sustainability, including increasing the tree canopy.
Today, we focus on the hot topic of hot tin roofs and potential changes in Key West's Historical Architectural Review Commission (HARC) guidelines. HARC is charged with preserving the island's historic public structures and homes -- including roofing materials.
Tin roofs absorb heat from the sun and their unfinished metal surfaces do not lose heat as efficiently through radiation when compared to more reflective "white roofs." The rationale is simple -- white reflects solar energy. A white roof reduces the amount of solar energy absorbed by a building, improving energy efficiency, thus reducing the amount of electricity required to cool it. Less air conditioning means fewer carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel power plants. Carbon dioxide is one of the gases that is said to create the earth's "greenhouse effect," which causes global warming.
Conclusion: Tin roofs = global warming.
We know there are skeptics of global warning, however, white roofs have been documented to reduce -- possibly as much as a double-digit percentage -- the cost of energy used to cool a home versus homes with tin roofs.
Before the advent of central air conditioning, reflective tin roofs were the norm in South Florida.
HARC has, over time, accommodated new technological advances in its guidelines. Today, it faces the decision to allow white roofs on historic buildings that originally did not have them. Types of white roofs include new white, galvanized metal or existing tin roofs coated with a special reflective white paint.
We clearly see HARC's dilemma -- strict guidelines preserving the historic structures and their educational, cultural and economic benefit to Key West versus evolving energy-saving measures that could alter the physical appearance of historic structures.
An additional consideration facing HARC is compliance to a Florida law that states: "A property owner may not be denied permission to install solar collectors or other energy devices based on renewable resources."
Though white roofs do not produce renewable energy, we would not be surprised if they would be included in a broader definition of "energy devices."
The HARC board should not act with the rigidity of museum curators, nor hold homeowners to the rigorous construction standards of the National Registry of Historic Places. Board members are appointed to safeguard the historic community character and appearance of Key West's historic district, and they must find ways to accomplish that mission in a manner that allows Old Town residents to adjust to a changing environment and the need for energy conservation.
We encourage HARC to strive to incorporate new and energy-saving materials and technologies -- such as white roofs -- into a common-sense policy that reflects citizen input while preserving the overall integrity of the historic district.
We also recognize that compromise can be a slippery slope, and suggest that only certified or proven energy-saving and renewable energy devices be included.
We commend city officials for approving the Climate Action Plan and reviewing all building codes with an eye toward encouraging energy efficiency.
Energy conservation has brought a new perspective to seeing a cat on a hot tin roof.
-- The Citizen