Green rooftops break monotony of common roofs

An aerial view of most urban areas shows swathes of asphalt, black tar and gravel-ballasted rooftops. Heat radiates off of the dark roofs and water rushes over the hard, hopefully impermeable surfaces. Yet, there is a new trend that breaks up the monotony of common roofs: green rooftops.

Long popular in Europe, green rooftops have begun to appeal to homeowners, businesses and even cities as an attractive way to promote environmentalism while solving the problems of conventional roofs. Green roofs supplement traditional vegetation without disrupting urban infrastructure — they take a neglected space and make it useful.

The EPA’s ENERGY STAR Roof Products Program has established a minimum standard that requires low-slope reflective roof products to have an initial reflectance of at least 65 percent, and a reflectance of at least 50 percent after three years of weathering. If there is any doubt about whether a roofing system is “cool roof” or energy efficient roof, check to see if it is listed in the ENERGY STAR Roof Products listings at www.energystar.gov. Use their online calculator to determine potential energy savings for your building.

At the Euroshield website you will see the incredible advances with their products that are made from 70 percent recycled rubber tires that can be fully recycled back to them if ever necessary. These are extremely durable products that incredibly resemble shakes and slate as well as any product in the industry.

The Euroslate products are a fraction of the cost of real slate. Euroshake Mediums are the same price, with material and labor, as cedar shakes. So not only is it a green injection molded product that looks fantastic, it is now a cost effective alternative to replace the harvesting of our old growth forests that we are depleting.

Another great roofing product for future solar roofing mount is a SRC-150 Clip system with a 1.5″ rib Standing Seam Metal Roofing product. It will provide an extremely durable “Life Time Metal Roof” that Solar modules can be attached without penetrations in the roof. Using a clamp system it can be attached to the metal rib so that solar racks can be mounted directly to these clamps. These new Metal Roofs also have solar coated finishes that not only qualify for federal energy tax credits but they are also approved safe for water collectors.

If you are as excited as I am by the opportunity to lower your impact on the environment and still have a great looking, long lasting roof, contact your contractor and learn more. Or better yet go to the experts Pete and I rely on at State Roofing.