Sustainable design is good business, plain and simple. On the most practical level, it can extend roof life, lower your power bills and reduce the amount of tear-off required the next time you re-roof.
But the benefits of sustainable roofing have a much broader impact as well. You use less energy, which reduces your carbon footprint and the urban heat island effect, and improve stormwater management on your property. You also release fewer harmful chemicals into the atmosphere and send less material to landfill when replacing your roof, plus you’ll buy fewer new products less often.
The fundamentals of sustainable commercial roofing design include:
Reflective surfacing reflects sunlight and absorbs less heat. This can reduce energy bills, extend the life of your roof and improve comfort levels inside your building. Reflective surfaces include membranes, special coatings and foams, paint for metal roofs, marble chips and reflective glazes. Read about Cool Roofs on energy.gov.
High-compression cover boards along with a thicker membrane, thermal insulation and traffic pads enhance durability. They allow people and materials to move safely on your roof without causing issues with roof system performance, water tightness or longevity, which in turn can extend roof life overall.
Part of value engineering is salvaging items for reuse — each reused item is one you don’t have to buy or send to the dump or landfill. Insulation is highly reusable even if the membrane needs to be replaced, and can get a new, full warranty. Metal components, such as gutters, copings and edge flashing, can also be salvaged and reused.
Bitumen can be recycled for the production of asphalt and single-ply vinyl membrane can be recycled into new membranes. Vinyl membranes can also be repurposed for other uses, such as creating rooftop walkways.
You can harvest the rainwater that hits your roof and put it to good use — even use it to generate photovoltaic power. Sustainably designed rooftop assemblies make it possible to irrigate your vegetative roof and ground-level landscaping, keep your ponds filled and, with retrofitted plumbing, flush the toilets in your building. Waterproofing assemblies like Hydrotech’s rubberized asphalt are hot-applied and can be formulated with up to 25% post consumer recycled content.
Learn more about sustainable design from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the Whole Building Design Guide from the National Institute of Building Sciences.
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