Sustainable Roof Finishes

Some of the most common roofing materials used on commercial buildings today are metal concrete tar and gravel epdm tpo living roofs and roof coatings.

Sustainable roof finishes. A more sustainable roofing system design ensures proper drainage minimizes maintenance and excludes items like pitch pans and exposed sealants. What are some sustainable roofing materials. Benefits of green living roofs. However they need extra structural support a vapor barrier thermal insulation waterproofing drainage water filtration soil compost and plants.

Corrugated roofing is durable and can withstand any harsh climate. Of course that assumes the roofing comes from sustainably harvested sources. Sustainable trim finishing there is great pride in taking care of a home and building an environment for friends and family. Avoid wood products that use urea formaldehyde as a binder.

Their estimated lifespan is 40 years. Use wood products made with renewable or recycled content. Choose low voc or no voc paints caulks and adhesives as well as water based finishes rather than solvent based products. Durability properly installed green roofs more than double the number of years typically needed before a roof must be replaced when compared to traditionally installed roofs.

Ceilings offer a plethora of green choices from natural mineral fibers to metals ensuring that sustainable options for almost any facility are readily available. For those interested in a classic appearance of wood shingles wood shingles from a well managed forest is a perfect option. Creating a personalized environment often is accomplished through adding those extra touches and finishes found on both the exterior and the interior such as moldings and landscaping. This is a strong and economical green homes design.

It is also referred to as the sustainable wood shake. These items if not constantly maintained can be the cause of leaks which in turn compromise the roofing system s ability to reach its performance potential. Video alt the number of green design materials available has exploded in recent years. Shakes and shingles are fairly energy intensive to produce and are only moderately durable much less than slate and clay tile.

They often last more than 50 years and provide excellent protection from the elements. With the advanced technology this roof does not come in a translucent plastic form or a wavy sheet of metal. Products that used to be offered in limited colors or designs are now as varied as their traditional counterparts. Metal roofs are extremely common in the us and for good reason.

Green roofs are covered with plants and can improve air quality reduce water runoff and insulate homes to reduce urban heat islands. Green roof photo courtesy ryan somma licensed under cc by sa 2 0. Font size decrease font size increase font size. A conservative analysis by the gsa puts the average life.

Sustainable finishes written by tracy zollinger turner tue aug 31 2010.