Sustainability Starts at the Top: Reduce Environmental Impact With Sustainable Commercial Roofing
Reducing environmental impact is important for all facilities, and one of the biggest contributors is the rooftop. But not every roof needs to be a “green roof” to be sustainable. Even making a few small changes on your roof can lead to big results.
What’s the Difference Between a Green Roof and a Sustainable Roof?
A green roof is traditionally known as a vegetated or living roof. It’s purposefully covered with plants and vegetation—no, that moss growing in the corner of your roof doesn’t count. A green roof is specifically designed for this purpose with multiple layers, water filtration, plant species selection, and more. Green roofs are popular in big cities to help mitigate the urban heat island effect.
A sustainable or eco-friendly roof is often an easier solution to upgrade your roof without investing in the elaborate design and materials of a traditional green roof. Sustainable commercial roofing minimizes environmental impact in a variety of ways, including:
- Material source
- Recyclability or recycled content
- Pollution prevention
- Waste minimization and disposal
- Energy reduction
- Reflective or absorptive roof colors
- Solar panels
Minimize Landfill Waste with Roof Replacement Alternatives
Many commercial roofs are replaced before they’ve reached their expiration date. This practice not only impacts the bottom line, but it also significantly impacts the planet. According to GreenRoofs.com, roofing is one of the top four construction and demolition materials disposed of in the highest amounts in US landfills. It often makes up nearly 20% of landfill construction and demolition waste, partly because there are so few options for diversion or recovery.
Most building codes limit the number of roofing systems allowed on a building. For example, in Ohio, facilities cannot have more than two roofing systems. Removing one or both layers is required before installing a new roof, which can create tons of waste.
Let’s take this example a step further. A 12,000 sq. ft. building with 3 to 5 inches of roofing material to remove would need at least ten dumpsters. Each holds about 10,000 pounds of waste. That’s a total of 100,000 pounds of roofing waste going to a landfill—not even including waste from the new materials.
A Better Alternative? Roof Restoration
Now let’s say the existing roof is in decent condition and has no wet insulation. A roof restoration or coating can cost a fraction of a full tear-off and results in minimal waste. Most roof restorations come with long-term warranty protection, sometimes up to twenty years. Many restored roofs can even be restored again in the future, making them a completely sustainable option.
That’s one of the many benefits of choosing sustainable commercial roofing over traditional tear-offs and replacements.
Reduce Energy Consumption with Roof Restorations
Roof restorations are also a great choice for those looking to reduce energy use. White roofs, also known as cool roofs, reflect the sun’s rays and can lower HVAC demand. In colder climates, darker roofs absorb sunlight to help retain warmth inside the building.
Whether your facility is in a hot or cold climate, sustainable commercial roofing helps you make smart choices that benefit both your building and the environment.
