where the temperatures are particularly cold, like during the annual New York City Marathon which takes place in the fall. Window treatments Windows glass can be coated to achieve low emissivity or “low-e”. Some windows use laminate polyester film where at least one layer has been metalized using a process called sputtering. Sputtering occurs when a metal, most often aluminum, is vaporized and the polyester film is passed through it. This process can be adjusted to control the amount of metal that ultimately coats the surface of the film. These metalized films are applied to one or more surfaces of the glass to resist the transfer of radiant heat, yet the films are so thin that they allow visible light to pass through. Since the thin coatings are fragile and can be damaged when exposed to air and moisture, manufacturers typically use multiple pane windows. While films are typically applied to the glass during manufacturing, some films may be available for homeowners to apply themselves. Homeowner-applied window films are typically expected to last 10–15 years. Construction Roofs and attics When radiant solar energy strikes a roof, heating the roofing material (shingles, tiles or roofing sheets) and roof sheathing by conduction, it causes the underside of the roof surface and the roof framing to radiate heat downward through the roof space (attic / ceiling cavity) toward the attic floor / upper ceiling surface. When a radiant barrier is placed between the roofing material and the insulation on the attic floor, much of the heat radiated from the hot roof is reflected back toward the roof and the low emissivity of the underside of the radiant barrier means that very little radiant heat is emitted downwards. This makes the top surface of the insulation cooler than it would have been without a radiant barrier and thus reduces the amount of heat that moves through the insulation into the rooms below. This is different from the cool roof strategy which reflects solar energy before it heats the roof, but both are means of reducing radiant heat. According to a study by Florida Solar Energy Center, a white tile or white metal cool roof can outperform traditional black shingle roof with a radiant barrier in the attic, but the black shingle roof with radiant barrier outperformed the red tile cool roof. For installing a radiant barrier under a metal or tile roof, the radiant