Green Roofing Benefits

Moderation of Urban Heat Island Effect

• Through the daily dew and evaporation cycle, plants on vertical and horizontal surfaces are able to cool cities during hot summer months and reduce the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect. The light absorbed by vegetation would otherwise be converted into heat energy.
• UHI is also mitigated by the covering some of the hottest surfaces in the urban environment – black rooftops.
• Green roofs can also help reduce the distribution of dust and particulate matter throughout the city, as well as the production of smog. This can play a role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting urban areas to a future climate with warmer summers.

Facts about Green Roofing

• The simple act of using a lighter-colored roofing material can make your roof greener.
• Installing a living roof is a very heavy activity.  You have to be sure your whole home can support the extra weight of soil, plants, and water.
• The usual warranty period for alternative green roofing (like tile or metal) is often a lot longer than just an asphalt roof.
• While a living roof or tile roof is very heavy, a metal roof is actually much lighter than those options.
• If a whole roof change is too much for you, another green option is a tubular skylight.  This offers additional lighting in your home and might get you a tax credit.
• Green roofing is an important and effective option in helping improve the environment.  Here’s hoping we can all do our part in helping the environment this year.

What do you mean by a “green roof“?

Depending on your budget, different materials can be used in your roofing project which is considered “green”.

Green roofing doesn’t mean that your roof has green things growing on it.  In fact, unless your roof is built to support plants, no plants should grow on your roof as they deteriorate the materials.

Green roofing means that a roof has been created using environmentally friendly materials or in an environmentally friendly way.  For example, metal roofing is often considered “green”.  Using recycled materials is often considered “green”.  There are many ways to go green and some of these ways include tax benefits.  This is something to consider if you are getting your roof re-done.

ThermaCote - is a sprayable ceramic coating that will provide true protection from the thermal exchange of temperature from solar roof loads, industrial manufacturing equipment, or commercial HVAC systems and even residential roofs.  ThermaCote® provides superior solar reflectance (90+% of all UV rays), eliminates thermal bridging between structural building components, eliminates the expansion and contraction of dis-similar building materials, and most importantly reduces the thermal BTU gain that costs you money.

Additionally, ThermaCote is a GREEN product that is water based, stops rust, seals surfaces and can be applied to most surfaces without primers or additional chemical preparation.