WASHINGTON - "Cool" metal-roofing supporters are celebrating a change in Energy Star testing procedures, saying it could help promote the material among consumers.

Energy Star officials will now use "weathering farms" to test the ability of roofing products to reflect the sun's heat. A weathering farm is a special area set up to gauge the environment's impact on a material. Previously, roofing products were required to be tested on actual structures in metropolitan areas to quality for the Energy Star program.