"I googled why every single house in Bermuda has a white roof. Here's what I found. Despite being a tropical paradise, Bermuda actually has no real access to fresh water, which normally would come from sources such as rivers and lakes, but the people of Bermuda have come up with an ingenious solution. Turns out the roofs are designed in this odd way to harvest their only source of drinking water: the rain. So those steps slow down the heavy rainfall helping the gutters to collect as much water as possible and the white paint reflects ultraviolet light from the sun which purifies the water. It is then stored in a tank under the house and thanks to this every home in Bermuda is self sufficient. There are no water mains or water rates."