If you’re planning to install a new roofing system in the next few years, you’re likely searching for a product that will enhance your home’s beauty, durability, and long-term performance.
However, as a responsible homeowner, you’re likely also on the hunt for a material that’s sustainable, eco-friendly, and good for the planet—and you may be discovering they are harder to come across than you previously thought!
In this post, we’re breaking down the sustainability of the most popular roofing materials so that you can choose the perfect material for your home, budget, and the environment.
What Makes Roofing Sustainable?
For a product to be sustainable, it must be able to be produced or used without significantly harming the environment. Ideally, it must also provide social, environmental, and economic benefits. Therefore, roofing materials that damage the environment, cause pollution, or require the use of nonrenewable resources (like fossil fuels or mined materials) are not sustainable.
Roofing products are sustainable if they are made from renewable resources, can be easily disposed of, and use a small amount of energy.
Popular Roofing Materials: Sustainable or Not?
Metal Roofing
Metal roofing can be a sustainable material, depending on who you ask. Metal roofing is typically made from a percentage of recycled materials, and it lasts a lifetime. Standing seam metal roofing, for example, can last between 50–100 years! Metal roofing can also be recycled at the end of its (extremely long) lifespan, reducing the roofing waste cycle.
However, metal roofing is highly conductive of heat, so it’s essential to have your new roof installed correctly to improve energy efficiency. Metal is also mined from the earth, so while metal roofing is not technically sustainable, its longevity makes it a more sustainable option than many materials with a shorter lifespan. If you want to ensure your metal roofing system is as sustainable as possible, choose a roofing system made with recycled materials!
Slate Roofing
Slate roofing is a highly sturdy, durable product like metal roofing. Homeowners love slate because it’s waterproof, fireproof, beautiful, low-maintenance, and long-lasting. In fact, it’s not unusual for a slate roof to last over 100 years!
Slate lasts a really long time, so it doesn’t contribute to the waste created by less durable roofing materials. Slate tiles also are sourced from naturally occurring slate rock, making slate a sustainable resource. However, slate is hefty, so it’s cumbersome to transport and process, and your home may need extra materials added for structural support.
Clay Tiles
Clay tiles, like slate roofing, are durable and heavy. They typically last between 75–100 years. Again, you won’t have to worry about contributing to the waste cycle from building materials when you invest in this long-lasting material.
Clay tiles are made with natural clay, and since this resource is so abundant, many manufacturers consider it sustainable. Clay tiles are shaped, fired, and often glazed, offering an unlimited number of colors, styles, and finishes to customize your home’s appearance. They are also cumbersome to transport, like slate, but since they’re long-lasting, they’re still one of the most sustainable roofing options.
Wood Shakes
Wood shakes and shingles are made from wood⎯a renewable resource. If the wood is responsibly sourced, wood shakes are a sustainable roofing option since they won’t harm or deplete the planet. Wood also requires less energy to manufacture than other roofing materials, and if it isn’t recycled at the end of its lifespan, since it’s biodegradable, it will eventually break down in a landfill. However, just because wood shakes are sustainable doesn’t necessarily mean they are the eco-friendliest choice for your roof replacement.
Wood doesn’t last nearly as long as other roofing materials—usually just 15–30 years. This means you’ll need to replace your wood shakes at least three, four, or even five times in the same timeframe you could have had just one metal, slate, or clay roofing system.
Wood is also prone to damage from the elements, including fire, mold, mildew, and rotting, which either requires harmful chemical treatments to prevent or time-consuming repairs when the damage has already been done.
Asphalt Shingles
Asphalt roofing shingles are beautiful, durable, affordable, and customizable, making them one of the most popular roofing materials in the United States. However, these roofing shingles are petroleum-based products and, therefore, are not sustainable. Like wood shakes, they also last between 15–30 years.
However, asphalt roofing shingles have come a long way regarding their environmental impact. Modern asphalt roofing shingles (also called composite shingles) often are made from recycled materials, like old tires and plastic bags. Many homeowners are also choosing to recycle these roofing shingles so they can be repurposed in asphalt-based surfaces, like roadways, driveways, and biking paths, in an attempt to minimize their carbon footprint.
Green Roofing
If the options listed above aren’t quite as sustainable as you’d like, you may be interested in a green roof. Green roofing systems are flat, low-slope surfaces that include a synthetic waterproof membrane, soil, and vegetation, like grass or small plants.
Green roofs are time-consuming to care for and expensive to install, but they do provide several benefits for your home and the environment, like removing harmful pollutants from the air and reducing outdoor temperatures. However, it’s important to note that the rubber membrane is a petroleum-based product, so while the entire roofing system isn’t entirely sustainable, the plants, soil, and vegetation help make up for it.
Reduce Your Carbon Footprint with Eco-Friendly Roof Replacement from Christian Brothers Roofing
If you’re interested in a sustainable or eco-friendly roofing material for your next roof replacement, our team at Christian Brothers Roofing offers plenty of choices, like standing seam metal roofing, stone-coated steel (which can mimic tile and slate) and more.
Learn more about our residential roofing materials to find the perfect match for your goals and budget for your upcoming roof replacement in Kansas City.
