Creating a sustainable roof…. 2 simple steps

Unfortunately due to the economic climate not everyone can afford a sustainable green living roof; however it only takes small steps to achieve ‘green’ roofing systems.

Improving your homes energy efficiency, is undoubtedly playing on your mind right now, with global warming looming over our heads, and innovative sustainable concepts breaking out onto the market. However there is good news, making simple steps to attaining energy efficient roofs does not have to be costly.

Truly said, the smaller things can make the biggest difference, and this applies to adapting your roof, the small changes can not only reduce your homes’ energy usage, but also reduce the size of your energy bill.

The first step is to cool your roof, which solely refers to roofs that are lighter in colour. Lighter roofs, in comparison to traditional black asphalt or dark wood shingles, cool roofs to save energy. This is because the pale colour reflects the light away from the home rather than absorbing the heat.

The problem with dark roofs is that it lets all the heat into the home, which conducting a much higher temperature down at you and your family, which means that the air conditioning has to work much harder to produce a comfortable living temperature; whereas the cool roof stops the heat from entering the home, which reduces the air conditioning usage, therefore cutting energy bills.

The easiest solution is to merely slap a cool roof coating onto an existing roof, however if you are already re-roofing, or building a new residence, it may be wise to consider replacing shingles or asphalt with a lighter-coloured version.

If your roof is a flat-top roof, then I would suggest that sheets of white PVC membrane would be better suited.

Whether you’re putting a roof on a new home, or re-roofing an existing residence, it’s a golden opportunity to do things as sustainably as possible; but with new supposedly green roofing materials coming to market every month, it’s hard to separate the great from the fake.

The ideal roofing material will shift depending on the location of your home, and the type of house you own. According to specialists the worst ‘sustainable roofing solution’ are wood shingles, because the shingles degrade rather quickly and is not considered sustainable when it will have to be replaced in a mere 15 years.

Unpretentiously choosing the right material could result in as much as 30% decrease in your homes’ energy needs. Whether that ends up being a metal roof, tile roof, asphalt shingles, concrete, or even living gardens do not forget to cool your roof for an extra benefit.

Any decent roofer or roofing specialists will advise you on the best green roof solution for you home; however the decision ultimately lays in your lap…… are you ready for the change?