What Are the Best Eco-Friendly Home Roofing Options?

Products and practices labeled as eco-friendly are intended to protect the environment, minimize pollution and conserve natural resources. There’s a wide range of eco-friendly versions of products available for purchase, including everything from cleaning products and reusable shopping bags to sustainably farmed food and building materials. Nearly every consumer good has at least one “eco-friendly” alternative. 

Some industries, including roofing, are moving toward widespread adoption of more eco-friendly manufacturing processes. For example, Owens Corning has implemented a variety of operational, manufacturing and supply chain modifications to:

• More responsibly use water
• Reduce their emissions
• Transition to renewable energy sources

Benefits of Eco-Friendly Roofing

Some roofing materials are considered eco-friendly because they reduce your home’s energy consumption needs through superior insulation value. They are great heat insulators as well as heat gain regulators, meaning they help regulate your home’s temperature during every season without spiking up your energy bill during the winter and summer months.

Eco-friendly roofing products can also be made from materials that last longer, which means they produce less waste in the long run, or don’t generate as many industrial byproducts from manufacturing. Many of these materials can also be recycled and used in different applications.

Although asphalt shingles aren’t generally considered a particularly eco-friendly material, they can be effectively recycled and repurposed for things like asphalt for paving.

A roof can also earn it’s eco-friendly bona fides simply by being durable. An eco-friendly roof is one that doesn’t have to be replaced for decades. It can withstand years exposure to moisture, debris and wind. For all intents and purposes, roofing material that lasts longer is thrown away less frequently and generates less landfill waste.

Total Roof Solutions Is Proud to Use Owens Corning

You don’t need to be a Platinum Preferred Owens Corning contractor (full disclosure–we are) to appreciate their investments in sustainability.

Asphalt shingles are, in part, petroleum products. If manufactured irresponsibly, they could have a significant detrimental impact on the environment. Owens Corning has implemented a number of measures to manage and mitigate the ecological risks posed by the shingle manufacturing process:

• They have a plan to be 100 percent reliant on renewable electricity by 2030
• They also aim to reduce their overall energy consumption by 20 percent below their 2018 baseline
• They have an aggressive plan to reduce their manufacturing and supply chain greenhouse gas emissions
• They’re adopting manufacturing methods and materials that will allow them to achieve a 50 percent aggregate intensity reduction of VOC emissions below their 2018 baseline
• They’ve made the same 2030 pledge to achieve a 50 percent aggregate intensity reduction of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) below their 2018 baseline

Choosing an Eco-Friendly Roof for Your Home

Whether you’re building a new home or replacing an old roof, you’ll learn there are many different environmentally friendly roofing options to choose from.

Cool Roofing Shingles

These types of shingles are built with solar-reflecting granules which significantly decrease the amount of heat transferred to your home. These shingles literally help keep your home cool, comfortable and energy efficient.

Asphalt Shingles

Depending on their color and design, asphalt shingles can reflect the sun’s rays, reducing the heat your roof absorbs. They can be recycled and used in other applications, such constructing roads, railway tracks and sidewalks.

Clay Roof

Clay is a sustainable and easily recycled material, making it one of the most eco-friendly roofing options. Clay roofs insulate your home against heat and cold, reducing the amount of energy you use. They can withstand strong winds and resist insect infestation.

Cedar Wood Roof

A roof made from wood can give your home a rustic feel and plenty of insulation. Natural wood remains one of the most eco-friendly materials. Wood is biodegradable, meaning it can be safely decomposed by living organisms without harming the environment.

Choose an Environmentally Friendly Roof for Your Atlanta Home with Total Roof Solutions

Is it time to replace your old roof? Are you looking for solutions that are affordable and environmentally friendly? At Total Roof Solutions, our services and products offer both of those benefits. Our experienced team specializes in roof repairs and roof installations.

As a one-stop contractor, we take on a variety of additional home renovation projects, including window replacements, exterior painting, gutter replacement and more.

Call us at (678) 752-8668 for a free estimate.