We received an e-mail with a question or two about green roofing materials. We sent this question to council member Nancy Rye of Columbia Wholesale, Inc. She sent the question to Mike Vance, a Certain Teed sales representative. Thanks for the question, and here's the answers we've got so far. We'll post more as they come in.
Information on Green roofing materials from Mike Vance of Certain Teed:
Inherently, the lighter color shingles(Landmark AR Mist White and Silver Birch) are the two regular priced, 30 year shingles that have qualified with an SRI of 29 or greater. SRI is an index used to measure reflectivity. This is the real advantage of these products. Insulation can help tremendously but reflecting all the sun and heat is equally important. And don't forget the importance of proper ventilation on the roof as well.
Now the only way to get Energy Star rated shingles outside of the light colors is to use the new Solaris or similar shingle with solar reflective granules. The Solaris is a Landmark Premium product with a lifetime warranty versus the 30 year warranty on regular Landmark. This warranty difference is key as the push for "green" building incorporates sustainability as a major component....hence a limited lifetime warranty on the Solaris. We could have made the product in a 30-year but that would have defeated the purpose and given us more SKU's which affects capacity.
There are some things to consider in deciding on the higher priced Solaris versus a standard 30-year. Cost savings is one...energy cost reduction over the long haul can be substantial. In addition, we have discovered several municipalities and utilities across the country who are giving credits, reduced rates, etc. on their monthly electric charges. And, in the case of a re-roof, you can also take advantage of the Tax Credit available for Energy Star rated products.
Thanks Mike!
Here's a link to the Energy Star website page that deals with this information.
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... and here's what our staff answered on the subject of green roofs...
We're not roofing experts here at the council, but we have heard the same thing you were told. Energy Star rated roofs have to be white (or very similar in color). The other rated roofs are metal, and they have to be very light in color as well. The difference there is that the price of metal roofing is considerably higher than traditional roofing materials.
The suggestion I was given by another member (before reading your questions) was to install TecShield (or similar product) on the underside of your roof from the attic. This material is a foamboard with a shiny, aluminum foil like side that will reflect a lot of the heat that permeates through your roofing materials. This is typically installed under the shingles on the outside of the house, but it is effective if installed properly on the inside of the attic.
Another option is to foam insulate the entire underside of the roof from the attic to encapsulate the area, thus expanding the envelope of your house from the walls/ceiling up and out to the roof line. Again, this is a more costly option as spray foam insulation is not inexpensive.
Again, we're not roofing experts, but there are some that are members of the Green Building Council. Visit our website at www.columbiagreenbuilders.com to see a list of members who know a whole lot more about roofing than we do.
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