Cool Roof Requirements: Chicago vs Evanston
How do cool roof requirements rules compare between Chicago, IL and Evanston, IL?
Evanston has fewer restrictions than Chicago.
Chicago, IL
Cook County
Chicago Energy Conservation Code MCC 18-13 requires reflective cool roofs on new and replacement low-slope roofs, the country's first such mandate. Minimum solar reflectance is 0.72 initial and 0.50 aged.
View full Chicago rules →Evanston, IL
Cook County
Cook County Building Code Ch. 32 adopts the International Energy Conservation Code without a separate cool-roof reach code. Reflective roofing is incentivized but not mandated outside Chicago, which has its own cool-roof requirement under the Chicago Energy Code.
View full Evanston rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | Chicago | Evanston |
|---|---|---|
| Code chapter | MCC Ch. 18-13 | Ch. 32 Cook County Building |
| Initial reflectance | 0.72 minimum | - |
| Aged reflectance | 0.50 minimum | - |
| Slope threshold | Low-slope under 2:12 | - |
| Repair exemption | Under 25% of roof | - |
| County reach code | - | None beyond IECC |
| Climate zone | - | 5A no SRI mandate |
| Chicago rule | - | SRI 78 low slope roofs |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
Chicago FAQ
Does Chicago require white roofs on houses?
Only on low-slope sections under 2:12 pitch. Most pitched residential roofs follow IECC insulation rules instead. Multi-family and commercial flat roofs must meet the 0.72 initial reflectance standard.
Can a green roof satisfy the cool-roof rule?
Yes. Vegetative green roofs are an explicit alternative compliance path under MCC 18-13, as are reflective ballast systems. Manufacturer documentation showing aged reflectance over 0.50 is required.
Evanston FAQ
Do I need a cool roof in unincorporated Cook?
No. The county building code follows the 2018 IECC, which does not require reflective roofing in climate zone 5A. Cool roofs remain voluntary outside Chicago.
Are there any rebates for installing one?
ComEd and Nicor Gas occasionally offer cool-roof energy efficiency rebates for commercial properties. Cook County itself does not currently fund residential cool-roof incentives.
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