Sustainable Roofing Beyond Material Selection: 5 Strategies
Your company has sustainability goals. Aside from installing a vegetated roof, rooftop solar panels, or a cool white roof, what else can you do? We’ve got five strategies that go beyond material selection to help your next roofing project align with environmental priorities.
Strategy No. 1: Recycle During Your Roof Project
Recycling can be done on every roofing project. All projects have some percentage that can be diverted from the landfill. While built-up roofs and some types of insulation cannot be recycled, most other products can, including metal, single-ply membrane, foam insulations, aggregate, and concrete. Beyond demolition waste, a significant portion of the packaging for new materials brought to the site (i.e., pallets, plastic wraps, pails, and cardboard) can also be recycled.
An experienced contractor will help evaluate materials and estimate quantities for reclamation. The first thing that needs to be done is an assessment of the waste streams. An experienced roofing contractor will then identify resources for recycling, repurposing, or reuse. Let your roofing contractor know this is a priority before project planning begins.
Strategy No. 2: Consider How Insulation Is Installed
While staggered joints, a tight fit, and workmanship with no significant gaps is standard practice, using multiple plies of insulation isn’t. When insulating the roof, it’s important to prevent the loss of thermal value through joints and mechanical fasteners. For example, you can reach an R-20 with a single 3-inch layer of isocyanurate, but two layers of 1.5-inch insulation will eliminate the thermal short. With staggered joints, less air enters and escapes reducing energy loss. This limits how hard mechanical systems have to work to compensate.
Strategy No. 3: Recover the Old Roof
Leaving the existing roof on and installing a new roof system over top results in less landfill waste. And because the old roof assembly probably still has some R-value, a recover may improve the energy efficiency of your facility. Additionally, less new insulation will be needed because of the old roof system’s existing insulation.
Strategy No. 4: Apply a Roof Coating
Roof coating is a sustainable option for two reasons: 1) energy savings and 2) increased roof life.
Covering a black roof with a white reflective coating reduces the amount of heat absorbed, decreasing demand on HVAC systems. A roof coating can also help you increase the time between reroofing projects. Ultraviolet and heat exposure cause chemical degradation of the roof membrane. Likewise, water accelerates deterioration. Coating can slow this process by providing an extra layer of protection to the surface of the roof.
Strategy No. 5: Maintain the Roof to Extend Life
Insufficient or infrequent maintenance can reduce the life of your roof by as much as half. Longer periods between reroofing mean less landfill waste and less material production. Consult with your roofing contractor who can assess the condition of your roofs and prescribe a schedule of routine inspections and regular maintenance to prevent premature roof failure. Extending the life of your roof is better for your budget and the environment.
Contact D. C. Taylor Co. today at 319.731.4118 or [email protected] for more information on how to maintain and install a roof sustainably.
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