The roof is a home’s first line of defense against the elements. Replacing or repairing it is a resource intensive, costly process. Why not get it right the first time?

It wasn’t long ago that roofing wasn’t much more than an afterthought, chosen for a house mostly for economic and occasionally for aesthetic reasons … if you could afford it.

But lately, roofing is recognized among the materials that can make a significant difference in a home’s energy and resource efficiency, spurring debate (and propaganda) about issues ranging from recycled content and recyclability to reflective values and durability—all of which work into a thoughtful consideration of which roofing material makes the most sense for your house.

ASPHALT COOL ROOF SHINGLES
Commanding an 83% share of the residential roofing market is no accident; asphalt composition roofing (right), including conventional three-tab and newer, thicker fiberglass and laminated types, offer affordable and attractive options generally designed to last a maximum of about 25 years.

Asphalt’s biggest environmental bugaboo is that it’s derived from petroleum processing, feeding fossil fuel demand. It’s also tough to recycle. That’s because a shingle is a mix of many different materials, only about 30% of which is asphalt, and that material is not of the same type that makes up most pavement asphalt.

But the industry has responded to the call for better eco-performance with colors and granular formations that better reflect the sun’s heat, reducing the amount that is absorbed into the roof and attic or living spaces below, and reducing demand on the home’s heating system—and therefore the energy it consumes.

Recent “cool roof” asphalt composition shingle offerings, in fact, have achieved federal Energy Star status for their reflective values, helping reduce peak cooling demand by up to 15%. At the same time, cooler shingles last longer, so they’ve increased their likely service life.

VIRTUES
> Affordable and widely available
> Familiar to installers
> New coatings increase heat reflection

CAVEATS
> Petroleum by-product
> Low recycling potential
> Relatively short lifespan
> May leach chemicals into runoff

CUSTOM-BILT METALS ROOFING
The FusionSolar series from Custom-Bilt Metals combines a durable standingseam metal roof panel system with factory-applied thin-film solar laminate collectors for integrated renewable energy generation. Solar collectors require no fasteners or additional structure; several compatible heavy-gauge roof profiles available. http://custombiltmetals.com

GAF TIMBERLINE COOL ROOF
Timberline Cool Series fiberglass-asphalt shingles from GAF feature reflective surface granules to reduce attic heat gain and cooling energy use. The Energy Star–qualified shingles also contain patented algae protection with a 10-year warranty. www.gaf.com