Whether you run a green business or just want the energy-saving effects of eco-friendly roofing, a roof replacement is a great time to think about greening your roof. If you choose an eco-friendly roof material, you can often save money on energy, roof repairs, and replacements in the long run. Here are some eco-friendly features you could add on during your next commercial roof replacement.
1. Rooftop Garden
A rooftop garden, also known as a green roof, sounds like an extremely involved project. But it can be quite simple. Often, all you need to do is have your roofer assess whether your roof is right for a garden, then have them install a modular rooftop garden system (some arrive with plants already in place in the modules) that can then be cared for by landscaping personnel.
A rooftop garden not only blocks sun from that portion of your roof, decreasing heat gain. It also insulates your building in winter, decreases environmental impact of your facility’s stormwater runoff, and increases the amount of green space on your property.
2. Solar Installation
Installing a solar array on the rooftop is not only an obvious signal that your company is eco-friendly; it’s also a great way to lessen your environmental impact, cut energy costs, and reduce your facility’s dependence on the municipal power grid. This can stand you in good stead during brownouts or rolling blackouts.
A traditional solar array isn’t the only option for harvesting solar power, either. Solar shingles and thin film solar panels that lie directly on the roof are both available as well. And if you do choose a traditional array, that doesn’t mean you’ll need roof penetrations. If your roof has a low slope, you can choose a ballast system held in place with weights instead of screws.
3. Cool Roof Coating
Whether you decide to add a garden or solar collection system or not, a cool roof coating can help you significantly reduce the amount of energy and therefore fossil fuels needed to cool your facility. The coating helps your roof reflect the sun rather than absorbing it. This can keep the roof 50°F or more below the temperature a black surface might reach during the summer.
Another reason cool roof coatings are eco-friendly is because they can help your roof last longer. With fewer roof replacements overall, you send less roofing material to the landfill. And a cooler roof can have indirect environmental benefits as well; for example, it can reduce your facility’s contribution to the pollution produced by power plants.
4. Additional Insulation
A roof that’s adequately insulated isn’t necessarily the same as a roof that’s optimally insulated. Adding insulation may help further reduce heat transfer to your facility, keeping things even cooler in summer and reducing the need for air conditioning even more.
The less strain you put on your AC system, the less often you’re likely to need AC repairs and replacements. This can not only save you additional money but also reduce the manufacture of air conditioning replacement parts for your facility, which is another eco-friendly win.
These four eco-friendly features can help your facility’s roof last longer, reduce overall heat gain to the building in summer, insulate in winter, produce electricity for your facility, and even provide support for local pollinators. As you can see, there are plenty of eco-friendly add-ons to choose from when you’re planning a roof replacement.
For more information about the commercial roof replacements we do and how we can help you turn your replacement into an eco-friendly upgrade, get in touch with Precise Roofing and Contracting, LLC today.
