8 Reasons Why Some Green Roofs Are White

The city of Chicago has been setting up what it calls “green roofs,” which is literally covering city rooftops in vegetation. While this may be a great idea for some buildings, it’s just not practical for all situations. How do you do maintenance on a building topped with greenery? It’s not nearly as simple as doing maintenance on one that is sans verdure.

However, a building surface that is both environmentally friendly and easy to care for is a cool roof. This option is both reflective and emissive, and it is specifically designed to be eco-friendly without creating an ecosystem on the roof itself.

Below are some specifications for this type of environmentally-friendly option:

• A green roofing system will help keep those under it cool on a hot summer’s day.

• It is made of vinyl and feather light, while traditional options can be quite heavy.

• It can house solar panels—or, if you so choose, even rooftop vegetation.

• They use green roofing materials that are 100% recyclable. There is minimal waste created from its setup, and the waste that is created is recycled back into building materials. At the end of the rooftop’s life, the whole thing can be recycled.

• Eco-roofs have a longer life than traditional ones. Since a large portion of the damage done comes from heat absorption, and cool roofs absorb less heat, this building surface option will live long and prosper. With the appropriate maintenance (which really is just infrequent cleaning), it will last much, much longer than a traditional choice.

• They have ENERGY STAR labels. This means that they are designated as a product that uses an amount of energy that is 20-30% below federal standards.

• A sustainable rooftop will help a building earn a favorable Green Globe rating and a favorable Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating. These ratings can translate directly into more business for you and your company.

To be environmentally friendly, the top of your building does not actually have to turn the color green. Many of these surfaces are actually white, which is the color that is most reflective and emissive. These white materials are highly sustainable, adaptable and recyclable, like those that are made by quality companies, such as Duro-Last Roofing. This makes them the ideal choice for people who care deeply about the planet, their city and the bottom line.  

Laura enjoys writing about green living. If you'd like to learn more about Duro Last, please visit http://www.duro-last.com/

By Guest Author - Jessica Lane