Any house wouldn’t be a safe refuge without a roof protecting its residents, making it a fundamental part. But, even if a roof should be of great importance, an excellent structure entails minimal impacts on the environment. It’s to the owner’s discretion to consider factors that would make the roof environmentally sustainable. Thus, for people who value their environmental footprints, here are five tips to consider for sustainable roofs.
Clay Tiled Roofs Are Classic
There are clear reasons why clay-tiled roofs persisted as timeless classic in-house projects. Its earliest records go back to ancient East Asia.
These tiled roofs greatly constitute a fitting sustainable material. Clay tiles are specifically good roof materials against almost all climates. Its insulating abilities and thermal mass help keep the air inside the house cool during the hot season. The same insulation also helps achieve the trapping of heat within homes during winter seasons.
Aside from the material’s thermal control, they are also durable. Clay roofs last more than a human’s average lifespan. As such, many often re-use the tiles for their houses rather than purchase another set of tiles.
Polyurethane Foam’s Versatility
When the roof material proves to be mediocre, one great roof addition is Polyurethane Foam. Spray Polyurethane Foam coatings help create a durable layer on top of the roof itself. Coating installers apply the coats as liquids, filling up the cracks and crevices of a damaged roof. SPF coat also negates leaks through its waterproofing capabilities.
Although made from non-sustainable raw material, SPF coating makes up for its low impact on the environment. This coat is non-toxic, has low emission of VOCs, and has zero CFC compounds. On top of that, the maintenance and repairs needed for this material are relatively cheaper.
Window Films Supports Glass Roofs
Most contemporary houses employ the use of glass in architectural design. Thus, it’s not surprising how glass can be a roofing material by itself. Glass roofs find their way mostly in large spaces like malls and transportation stations. With a larger area to work with, it’s more efficient to utilize natural light as daylighting systems.
The major drawback with a glass roof is the sunlight’s uncontrollable entry. This is a problem that window films help to solve. Window films help filter out not only the harmful UV rays but the excessive sunlight illumination. The film’s dark tints also help control the infrastructure’s internal temperature. The innate thermal control that window layers possess allows energy saving and cost reduction altogether. Purlfrost offers a wide array of window films for a wide variety of uses.
Wooden Shingles Uniqueness
Wood accounts as a sustainable material for roof shingles, dating back to the Japanese pre-Heian period. Unlike its synthetic material counterparts, wooden roof tiles can come from even the scrap parts of the log. The use of wooden roofs is often for rustic aesthetics purposes only, while staying eco-friendly.
The huge downside for this type of material is its lack of durability. Wooden tiles are naturally fire hazards and require costly maintenance during their lifespan.
Allow Vegetation on Rooftops
There is no better way of making rooftops eco-friendly than through vegetation. Soil and greeneries act as another layer on top of the existing rooftop where they’re located. This earthen layer then absorbs the incoming heat from sunlight before the actual roof does. This is exactly why most condominiums and apartments now utilize their rooftop parts as gardens.
