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Roofing


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Roofing Contents:

CSI NUMBERS
DEFINITION
CONSIDERATIONS
COMMERCIAL STATUS
IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES
GUIDELINES

RESOURCES


CSI Numbers


DEFINITION

This section deals with roof covering materials such as shingles, tile, and roof panels.


CONSIDERATIONS:

In selecting material for roof covering one should take into account its weight (heavier material requires larger support members), its durability (e.g. how well can it tolerate high and low temperatures and for how long), its effect on water falling on the roof if the water is being captured (for example, will gravel from shingles build up sediment in a cistern or do roof materials leach into the water?), the heat-holding qualities of the roof material (does it heat up and stay hot into the night?), as well as cost, fire rating, maintainability, and installation characteristics.

Slate, clay, and cementitious roof materials offer excellent durability but are heavy. Fiber-cement composite roof materials are somewhat lighter and use fiber materials resourcefully. Some use waste paper as well as wood fiber. Many have 60 year warranties.

Metal roof materials, steel and aluminum contain high percentages of recycled content, up to 100% in many aluminum products. An additional advantage is that these materials are easily recycled in their post-use as well as lightweight and durable.

Asphalt shingles use recycled, mixed paper in their base and some use reclaimed minerals in the surface aggregate. This type of material does not last as long as the others mentioned above. Recycled plastic roof materials are starting to be introduced as a lightweight option.




Commercial
Status
Implementation
Issues
technology suppliers cost financing public regulatory
Clay/Cemetitious
30-50 Year Material
Recycled Content

Legend
green Satisfactory
yellow Satisfactory in most conditions
red Satisfactory in Limited Conditions
black Unsatisfactory or Difficult

COMMERCIAL STATUS

TECHNOLOGY:

Well-developed; more recycled-content roofing materials can be anticipated.

SUPPLIERS:

Adequate; fiber-cement roof materials are not readily available.

Clay roof materials are costly; metal roof materials are competitive with the more common asphalt shingles.


IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES

FINANCING:

Available.

PUBLIC ACCEPTANCE:

Most people prefer shingle, tile, or slate roof materials; metal shingles are available as an option to metal sheet materials.

REGULATORY:

Roofing materials will meet standards established by the appropriate testing groups and must be installed according to the manufacturers instructions.


GUIDELINES

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This document was adapted to HTML by Bill Christensen, sysop and environmental editor of Texas InfiNet, an online community for progressive information.

Sustainable Building Sourcebook web version copyright Sustainable Sources 1994-1999.