The term ‘eco-friendly’ is the buzzword making the rounds on every forum, radio talk show, and TV station with even the remotest interest in preserving the environment. With all the new buildings rising everywhere, it’s more important than ever for us to consider eco-friendly solutions when designing and developing new structures.
As the General Manager of All American Exterior Solutions, Sergey Taitler has a strong commitment to customer satisfaction, quality work, and professional leadership. This is why his concern for the environment has led him to adopt eco-friendly roofing procedures that don’t have a huge environmental footprint. “It’s important that we keep the planet safe for future generations,” he says, “and with that in mind, I’m always on the lookout for new advances in eco-friendly roofing materials and methods.”
Living Roofs
Living roofs refer to roofs that are covered with vegetation. The concept, however, doesn’t just apply to roofs as walls have recently got a new makeover more in line with environmentally-sound policies. It’s not uncommon now to walk down a busy city street and see walls covered with living plants. “The idea behind this emerging concept,” says Sergey Taitler, “is more than just adding more green shades to the urban structures. Living roofs have practical purposes as well.” And that is true. From insulating the building to reducing the costs of heating and cooling, roof gardens also have a calming and de-stressing effect on the residents of the buildings with access to the roof. Compared to the drab building exteriors, living roofs and walls bring relief from the colorless and hassling life that distinguishes our modern urban communities.
Reflective Coating
Another advance in eco-friendly roofing that has more than an aesthetic value is reflective coating. It’s designed to protect the property from the damage of the solar rays. With the sun beating down on your roof all day, your home becomes overheated and the costs of cooling it down soar as well.
The reason reflective coating is becoming popular among property owners is that the layer of white coating that reflects about 80 percent of the sunlight can be applied to just about any roofing type and material. It works well with wood as much as it does with metal, concrete, or asphalt shingles. If you’re an avid DIYer, you can apply the reflective coating to your own roof, otherwise, you’ll need a professional to get it done.
Solar Energy
The installation of solar panels on the roofs of homes and residential buildings is on the rise. For one thing, they’re low maintenance and tend to save a lot of money in terms of heating the building. Solar panels also reduce the demand for electricity consumption which helps save the planet’s resources in the long term. However, they are a little pricey to install and they come with their own set of problems.
According to Sergey Taitler, thin-film solar technology is an exciting new alternative to solar panels. “Roofing materials,” he adds, “come prebuilt with photovoltaic solar cells which make solar panels redundant.” Once their initial cost comes down, homes will be able to harvest the solar energy without the need for third-party installations.
Metal Roofs
Metal roofs have been around for a long time. However, the fact that they’re recyclable and don’t impact the environment as heavily as other roofing types such as asphalt, makes them the perfect roofing option for the environmentally conscious homeowner.
“I always encourage my clients to consider installing metal roofs on their properties,” explains Sergey Taitler. “Because of their long-lasting quality, they present themselves as a cheap roofing option that protects the property against sun rays, rain, and snow.” Another benefit of a metal roof has to do with harvesting rainwater. Many homes have turned to rain as a source of water supply that can be used for gardening and washing. Metal roofs are ideal for collecting and storing rainwater.