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If you're planning on updating your commercial property's roof, there are many new roofing materials that Atlanta business owners are considering to keep initial costs low and operating costs, in terms of energy consumption, even lower. Here are some roofing materials you may want to consider. Recycle While recycling has permeated to most areas of American life, it has only recently come to the roofing industry. Many older roofs were scraped off and sent to the landfill. Today, the recycling numbers are climbing thanks to some monetary incentives for the roofing companies. First, they realize they can get some extra money back for the materials and that money is finally more than the labor costs involved. The roofing companies can also pass on savings to their customers because of the environmental ratings they get by recycling. Sustainable Materials Recycling in much of the construction fields has led to more environmentally friendly materials. Asphalt shingles and cedar shakes are not as durable as other roofing options, yet comprise the majority of roof construction. These roofs need to be replaced more often, leading to more waste during manufacture. Composite materials last longer and can be manufactured to look like any number of different materials. The recycled materials can even be recycled once they are replaced. They also have a longer life span, preventing the need for new under layers more often. Cool Roofing Everyone knows that lighter colors are more reflective than darker colors. In past years, roof coverings have had to be white or near white to reflect much of the sun’s heat energy. Asphalt shingles and asphalt/tar coverings are naturally darker colored, but are the most popular choices for commercial roofing. This darker color, though, leads to higher temperatures inside the building. Even if the building is well insulated, this extra heat that the roof absorbs can affect energy consumption for cooling the inside. Advances in reflective technology in the roof prevent the darker materials from absorbing the sun’s heat rays, adding to a building's energy savings. Energy Creation Traditionally, the roof has been a barren landscape populated by only the HVAC units. In the “green” age, more building owners are realizing how much money is being wasted on an empty roof. The lack of obstructions to the sun’s rays makes a roof an ideal location for solar panels. Many commercial buildings are adding the solar panels to offset their energy costs. Depending on the size of the building, there may even be extra electricity that can be sold to the electric company. But, there are special procedures and materials that need to be used for a solar roof. There will be extra load on the roof that needs to accounted for as well as methods of securing the panels to the roof. These will leave holes through the roofing material that needs to be sealed to prevent water entry. The construction industry as a whole is undergoing an environmental friendly revolution. Much of the waste was being sent to the landfills. Roofing materials for Atlanta properties are undergoing the same revolution, with much of the newest trends addressing these environmental concerns.
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