The Oxford English Dictionary defines the adjective “cool” in two ways:
Many words are used to describe ballasted roofing systems — economical, basic and durable being some of the most common. The word cool, by any definition, doesn’t usually come to mind when one thinks of ballasted EPDM roofs. One of the original single-ply roofing systems, ballasted EPDM assemblies offer lots of upside: they are quick to install, they utilize few components, they are cost-effective, and they offer superior protection against hail and UV damage. Because of these features, they’ve been tremendously popular since the 1960s. Now, almost 50 years after they were created, it is time to re-examine the advantages of ballasted assemblies because they are surprisingly cool, in more ways than one.