Jun 12 2007
When a major financial institution announces that they are going to spend $18 billion on commercial lending and investment banking for 'green' projects as well as an additional $2 billion for consumer programs, you have to take notice. With today's heightened interest in and demand for ecologically sound building materials, metal roofing is an ideal choice.
Green building practices promote construction of buildings that are healthier for the occupants and healthier for the environment. The metal roofing industry's products are already environmentally friendly, and are contributing to the reduction of landfill waste and energy consumption.
A study conducted by Oak Ridge National Laboratory found that the installation of reflective metal roofing can save homeowners up to forty percent in summer cooling costs while highly emissive metal roofs can reduce urban air temperatures by as much as 12 degrees F. A basic unpainted metal roof will reflect much of the solar radiation that would be absorbed by a traditional asphalt roof. However, for homes in warmer climates, pre-painted or granular coated metal roofing systems not only reflect solar energy but they also cool the home by re-emitting most of the solar energy that is absorbed.
The EPA reports that $40 billion is spent annually in the United States to cool buildings. This accounts for one-sixth of all electricity generated in a year. Ninety percent of the energy in the United States is generated by burning fossil fuels, which create pollution.
In addition to being energy efficient, metal roofing is recognized as a sustainable building material for several environmental reasons. Many metal roofs typically have a minimum of 25 percent recycled content. This level of recycled content allows metal roofing to be routinely included on listings for 'green' and recycled content products. In addition, metal roofing is 100 percent recyclable where other roofing materials are routinely removed and disposed of by the ton in landfills.
Along with providing superior environmentally friendly protection, a metal roof also increases a home's resale value. The 2005 Residential Cost Handbook(TM) reports the appraised value of a home increases by $1.35 per square foot when a metal roof is installed.
The Metal Roofing Alliance was formed to educate consumers on these and other benefits of metal roofing. Visit http://www.metalroofing.com to learn more about metal roofing and to find a metal roofing contractor in your area.