6 Eco-Friendly Roofs to Say YES to!

As home builders increasingly are using eco-friendly amenities to attract potential buyers, new options that translate into a reduced impact on the environment as well as energy savings for the homeowners.  

These six eco-friendly roofs are popping up more and more in residential, commercial, and industrial settings. Let’s explore why they’re so popular.  

Metal Roofs  

Metal roofs have been around for decades upon decades. They’re known for their durability and longevity. Which means the less roofing companies you would need to call for repair. But they’re also phenomenal for the environment.   

That’s because metal roofing can be made from recycled material. And, when you’re done with your roof in 50 to 100 years, you can recycle your roofing material once again.   

Metal roofs in conjunction with proper insulation are great for keeping a home cool in the summer, as most of the sun’s rays are reflected by the material. Cool (White) Roof Cool roofs are a simple way to keep your home more eco-friendly.   

White surfaces naturally reflect much of the sun’s rays, thereby preventing them from penetrating the roof and heating up the home in the summer.   A cool roof can be achieved by using sheeting, white gravel, or by painting existing asphalt shingles white.   

Clay Tiles  

Clay roofing is incredibly eco-friendly since they are organic. Clay is incredibly durable, lasts for the lifetime of your home, and can be reincorporated back into the environment easily when they’re done being used on your roof. That way you don’t go hassling finding the best roof repair service.  

They’re also very energy efficient, reflecting summer heat well. Clay roofs are popular in areas of the country that experience intense heat in the summer like the southwest portion of the United States.   

Wood Shingles  

Another organic option for roof building is wood shingles. Although not the best choice for drier environments due to its flammability, wood shingles are durable easily repurposed. Like clay, wood shingles easily incorporate back into the environment once their use as a roof is over.   

Wood shingles last about twenty years and are well suited for moist climates. They’re widely found in coastal areas because they stand up so well to the salty environment and coastal weathering.   

Green Roofs  

One very popular way to practice environmentally friendly roofing, especially among commercial buildings, is to build a garden on your roof. Flat roofs are great planting grounds for green roofs.  

By planting shrubs and other plants, your roof will be well insulated from the sun in the summer and the cold weather in winter months. While your plants are busy making the air cleaner, they’ll also help soak up a lot of the rainwater most roofs have to deal with.   

Solar Panels  

Lucky for homeowners solar panel prices are coming down. Now a lot more homeowners can take advantage of the energy savings that solar panels bring. They also have secondary benefits of reduced fossil fuel derived heating and cooling costs which directly impact the environment.   

Solar panel technology is improving incredibly quick as well. They are more efficient, producing more usable energy than ever before.