A roof is the most important design element of a house or building.
The roof is the structural support that keeps the entire dwelling together. It’s the crowning element that allows the other key components to work in harmony, including plumbing, heating/cooling, lighting, interior design, and much more.
In recent years, however, the roof has taken on an even greater level of importance. That’s because it is the key to making modern homes as environmentally efficient as possible –- a roof can even be a primary source of clean, green energy production itself.
With that in mind, let’s look at the fascinating trends and developments in environmentally friendly choices for roofing materials and design.
1. Metal Roofing Materials
Austin, Texas, is a warm-climate city that can also experience short periods of bitter cold in some winter months.
That makes it a good representative location to look for trends in eco-friendly roofing choices as they are made by home buyers, home designers, and those operating in the construction/roofing sector.
So, using Austin as your geolocation and searching roofing company Austin reveals that metal roofing is an increasingly attractive option among “green enthusiasts” in Texas because of this material’s excellent recyclability profile.
A study conducted by Florida’s Department of Environmental protection showed that it contains up to 40% recyclable steel -– but the overall content of the metal roofing material itself is 100% recyclable.
Forbes reports that 12 million tons of asphalt shingles are relegated to landfills every year. This astonishing figure highlights the importance of recyclable roofing choices, such as metal.
As a bonus, options like standing seam metal roofs offer a lot of opportunities for design creativity and attractive looks. They are extremely durable, fire-retardant, and have excellent impact resistance metrics.
2. White Roof = Cool Roof
Whatever the material choice, a white-colored roof is considered a “cool roof.” White efficiently reflects the sun’s rays, as opposed to the way dark material absorbs sunlight and stores heat. For example, on a sunny day with no wind, a dark roof can reach 180 degrees Fahrenheit.
Flat white roofs are often made from TPO or PVC. Commercial metal roofing can also be white. It’s true that asphalt roof tiles can be lightened to improve their reflectivity profile. This is done by adding color to the mica chips that make up the surface of the asphalt. However, asphalt tiles remain black below the surface.
A solution is to go with composite synthetic tiles, such as synthetic clay roof tiles, which absorb and transfer less heat to a home than a whitened asphalt shingle.
3. Terracotta Tiles
What’s interesting about terracotta roof tiles is that they are among the most traditional – yet meet the environmental imperatives of our day. Terracotta roofing has been used for centuries. The tiles are renewable because they are made from clay. They cut down on waste because well-cared-for terracotta tiles can last 50 years.
They are more expensive than other options. However, they are cost-effective in the long run because of minimal maintenance and no need to re-shingle a roof that’s covered with other materials, such as asphalt.
4. Solar Roofs
No article about environmentally friendly roofing options can be complete without mentioning solar roofing. One might divide this roofing choice into two broad categories – solar panels and solar tiles.
In the case of solar panels, this is almost not “roofing,” per se. Solar panels are generally installed atop a roof already finished with another material.
Solar tiles, on the other hand, are akin to small solar panels that are each individually fashioned as shingles. They are used to cover a roof in the same way as one would with traditional shingles.
Yes, solar tiles are expensive upfront. According to HomeAdvisor, the average cost is $21 to $25 per roofing square. That means an average roof might cost $60,000 to $75,000 when done with solar tiles. Traditional roofing materials for an average home would cost from $5,646 to $12,031.
The cost of solar tiles is offset by the energy they produce for a building. That can be as much as 60% of the energy costs annually. Over a period of 20 years, for example, it makes the upfront price of solar tiles more attractive.
Conclusion: Roofing is Going to Get Interesting
Environmental tech as applied to roofing promises to be a growing field in the coming years as changing climate, volatile global energy infrastructure, and heightened consumer awareness will create demand for sustainable solutions.
Exciting contemporary designs and innovations for a home’s most critical component will drive the future of the industry.