Commercial buildings have white membranes on the roof. They’re flat so you can’t see it from the ground. Residential buildings usually have sloped roofs visibl

Commercial buildings have white membranes on the roof. They’re flat so you can’t see it from the ground. Residential buildings usually have sloped roofs visible from the ground so the roof color is an architectural choice. Depending on the locale, current building codes can require enough roof insulation that very little heat flows through the roof in either direction. The insulation has an added benefit of preventing heat loss in the winter.