Although you probably don’t give roofs much thought unless yours is leaky, they play a significant role in maintaining indoor temperatures. Green and eco-friendly roofs can provide not just greater efficiency over conventional roofs but many other benefits as well.
Many Ways to Go Green
The category of green and eco-friendly roofs covers a wide range of options, from construction that uses sustainable materials to rooftops on which full gardens flourish and more. An eco-friendly roof might be made of material that reflects light instead of absorbing it, keeping the cost of cooling the building lower. A solar roof is another example of a roof that’s eco-friendly. Building materials as diverse as clay tiles, shingles recycled from old tires and metal may count as green roofing.
Increasing Biodiversity
The types of green roofs that have plants growing atop them, sometimes called “living roofs,” create little ecosystems. They can provide plants for pollinators and safe resting spots for insects, bats and birds, including birds that are in the middle of a migration. In addition, the overall cooling effects of many types of sustainable roofing can provide a more amenable climate to animals and plants native to the area.
Reducing City Temperatures
If you’ve ever noticed how much hotter it can be in a city than in a nearby suburb, you’ve experienced the phenomenon known as a “heat island.” This happens for a number of reasons, including too few trees, tall buildings and dark roofing surfaces.
Green and eco-friendly roofs can help bring the temperature back down in a number of different ways. For example, air conditioning can increase outdoor temperatures, but a building that stays cooler uses less of it. Plants that grow on roofs take in water through their roots and release it through their leaves, also lowering the temperature.
Soundproofing
Besides all the benefits to the environment and your heating bill, living roofs provide natural soundproofing as well. All those layers of soil along with plants can absorb a significant amount of outside noise.
Suitable for Many Structures
Living roofs aren’t the right choice for every building. They can be both heavy, requiring additional structural work to ensure that they are supported, and expensive. However, there are so many options for green and eco-friendly roofs that there’s almost certainly one that’s suitable for your property. Many alternatives have additional advantages as well. For example, clay or metal roofs last significantly longer than conventional roofs.
Green on a rooftop is usually a bad sign. It can mean that moss or algae is thriving and that your roof needs repair or replacement. However, a growing number of property owners are embracing roofs that are green with cultivated plants. Others are opting for roofing that is eco-friendly in other ways. Learning more about these roofing alternatives can help you decide if one is right for you. If you live in Syracuse, NY or a surrounding area and need roof replacement services, make your first call to Forte Roofing.
