Page 22 - November 2015 Green Builder Magazine
P. 22
The Homeowner’s Handbook SIXTH EDITION
Roofing 02
20 First line of defense.
Your roof should protect your Asphalt Composition Roofing
www.greenbuildermag.com 11.2015 home from the elements for at Virtues Caveats
least 50 years. Make sure your ■■ Affordable and widely available ■■ Petroleum by-product
■■ Low recycling potential
investment counts. ■■ Familiar to installers ■■ Relatively short lifespan
■■ May leach chemicals into runoff
IT WASN’T LONG ago that roofing wasn’t much more than ■■ New finishes increase heat
an afterthought—chosen for a house mostly for economic reflection
and occasionally for aesthetic reasons, if you could afford it.
But lately, roofing is recognized among the materials fact, have achieved federal Energy Star status for their reflective
that can make a significant difference in a home’s energy values, helping reduce peak cooling demand by up to 15 percent.
and resource efficiency, spurring debate (and propaganda) At the same time, cooler shingles last longer, so they’ve increased
about issues ranging from recycled content and recyclability their likely service life. Recycling programs, which convert
to reflective values and durability—all of which work into a
thoughtful consideration of which roofing material makes the
most sense for your house.
ASPHALT
Cool Roof Shingles
Commanding an 83 percent share of the residential roofing
market is no accident. Asphalt composition roofing (right),
includes conventional three-tab and newer, thicker fiberglass and
laminated types. These products offer affordable options generally
designed to last a maximum of about 25 years.
Asphalt’s biggest environmental bugaboo is that it’s derived
from petroleum processing, feeding fossil fuel demand. It’s also
tough to recycle. But the industry has responded to the call for
better eco-performance with colors and granular formations
that better reflect the sun’s heat, reducing the amount that is
absorbed into the roof and attic or living spaces below and
lessening demand on the home’s heating system—and therefore
the energy it consumes.
Recent “cool roof” asphalt composition shingle offerings, in
VISION HOUSE® AT MARIPOSA MEADOWS SPONSOR GAF Timberline Cool Roof
Fabral Standing Seam Metal Roof Panels Timberline series fiberglass-
asphalt shingles from GAF feature
Durable, low-maintenance metal roofing sheds reflective surface granules to
snow and protects the home from extreme reduce attic heat gain and
weather. Standing seam panels are finished with the cooling energy use. The Energy
Enduracote paint system, which is guaranteed with a Star-qualified shingles also contain
lifetime film integrity warranty and a 30-year warranty patented algae protection with
against color fading. a 10-year warranty.
www.fabral.com/residential www.gaf.com
