The beginning of this new century reveals an increasingly obvious ecological trend. Strongly developed in the automotive industry in recent years, this trend is slowly but surely embracing the roofing industry.
Current trends among manufacturers are related to identifying and designing more efficient and durable roofing systems, the roof being the most exposed part of a building, which needs the most repairs in case of problems. Until recently, reducing energy consumption and heat loss was not at stake as it is today, and thermal comfort was not on top of the priority list. But customers are now more careful with their money before investing in a roof. They are looking for a Littleton roofing contractor to provide roofing systems that improve thermal comfort, use high-performance materials, and take into account the roof installation as a whole. They want a Littleton roofer who takes care of all the details, materials, accessories and workmanship, informing the beneficiaries and help them get a quality roof system, tailored to their needs… True Littleton professionals are not focused only on installing roofing shingles per square meter and take money from their clients; they must find ways to offer more on a market which is now well defined and very competitive.
New trends in roofing include having surfaces that can be capitalized, circulating terraces, technical or vegetation arrangements, hanging gardens and large skylights for more natural lighting.
In this context, green roofs will gain more and more ground, being created as a response to the aesthetic erosion of cities and the threat of the environment. They are considered by architects an integral element of sustainable construction practices. Green roofs represent small, simple and efficient ecosystems that refer to applicable ecological concepts.
How about roofing shingles?
Green roofs are suitable for flat roof systems. On the other hand, sloped roofs are expected to be increasingly covered with eco-friendly and recyclable materials and also to host equipment and installations for capturing solar energy, using built-in photovoltaic cells.
Solar shingles, which have already appeared on the market, will certainly change a lot in terms of the roof concept as we know it today.
It is expected that the energy of the future will come from above, because solar energy is inexhaustible, while the energy that comes from below, from the earth’s resources, is at the end. The facade to the sky will no longer be an obscure side that shelters darkness or hides useless things, but will increasingly represent the place where we can develop alternative resources for home and will provide the opportunity to have more space for living.
It is expected that the roofs of the future will have a longer lifespan than they do now, be more aesthetically pleasing and, most importantly, allow people to make significant savings, in addition to ensuring their energy independence. How the implementation programs of these new shingles will be carried out and what the results will be – remains to be seen. It will be interesting to follow and analyze the behavior of these new materials over time, the advantages and disadvantages identified once their installation will be done on a larger scale.