Green Roof Systems

   “Green” Roofs are all the rage, being widely covered and mentioned in the media, and represented the Avant-Garde of modern roofing technology. “Green” is an umbrella term for a lot of different roofs, since “Green” has no real hard definition and simply implies as a modifier that something is “environmentally friendly”, although the method of action may vary tremendously.

   The easiest way to make a roof “Green” is with a reflective coating. These coatings typically accomplish two things: the building is made more energy efficient. It takes on less heat from the sun, and releases less heat in the winter, reducing energy costs. The second thing is that sunlight hitting the building is reflected back into space, thereby slowing down the green house effect, and slowing global climate change (which is now widely considered a substantiated scientific fact).

   “Green” roofs are most commonly thought of as garden roofs. These come in two varieties, intensive and extensive, and aim to turn the roof into a water reclamation and vegetation growth area.

   An extensive garden roof is the equivalent to putting a planter on a roof. It requires less maintenance, less cost, and less structural support than an intensive garden roof. The plants grown require very little maintenance, and this system typically works like a rooftop deck or patio with greenery. It is very common for herbs to be grown on extensive garden roofs, but little else.

   An intensive garden roof is more like placing a small farm or nature preserve on the roof. The plants require more care, and may even produce limited yields of fruits or vegetables. Intensive garden roofs require more money, time, and structural support, but provide the more serious garden roof.

   Garden roofs, in either variety, though expensive, and limited by how much weight a structure can carry, easily offer the most aesthetically pleasing and socially useful roofs.

   The next group of “Green” roofing products is made up of products using recycled materials. Slate and tile can now be made out of recycled rubber, providing the same aesthetic as conventional slate or tile, with the added advantages of using a repurposed material that is more durable than slate or tile. Many other roofing products are starting to use reclaimed materials.

   The last of the “Green” roofs would be solar assemblies, which isn’t so much a roofing system (currently) as something that typically goes on top of a roof. National Roofing, through our knowledge of roof maintenance, has become a go-to company for solar installation. Whether we are the primary contractor or as a sub-contractor to one of the many solar companies in the Albuquerque area, solar roof installations are quickly becoming one of our many specialties. Solar assemblies can offer complete energy independence, even generating enough power to become a moneymaking asset. While expensive to build, solar is the future of energy production and roof assemblies on the whole.