METAL ROOFING: ON TOP OF SUSTAINABILITY

Metal Architecture’s November 2007 Issue

By Wes Brooker

In the last few years, the word green has evolved to mean something more than just a color. Green has become a symbol for an entire movement, galvanizing many businesses and families to minimize the negative environmental impacts of society by enhancing efficiency and moderation in the use of materials, energy, and development space.

Everyone from car manufacturers to clothing designers; the Govenator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) to Martha Stewart are going green. Even the construction industry, stereotypically known as tough and rugged, have shown their softer side with concern for the environment. With the help of the US government, the green movement is spreading throughout the architecture and construction industries.

[1]Did you know that the building industry consumes:

· 40% of the raw material used globally each year

· 40% of energy consumed in the world

· 60% of the world’s electrical consumption

The government recognizes the need for sustainable building and has responded by developing programs like Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), Energy Star and CA Title 24. (Organizations such as the United States Green Building Council have developed these programs to ensure buildings meet desired targets to reduce environmental impact.) The government is also pushing sustainable building on consumers by offering monetary breaks to those building with efficient manner.

One of the major building changes is the increased use of metal in roof design. Metal construction products with their ability to provide attractive yet efficient roofing systems made a strong contribution to the sustainable design and building movement. Through research and studies, many ecological benefits have been discovered in using metal roofing systems. These benefits include sustainability, recyclability, low weight, product safety and energy efficiency.

Many types of metal roofing hold up better against weather forces such as windstorms, hail, ice, and snow when compared to other roofing systems. Metal is not affected by changes in temperatures and seasonal changes that can break down other materials. Special paints and coatings have been developed to add additional life to metal roofing, some adding up to 50 years to your roof’s life span.

If future owners of the building decide to replace the metal roof, most metal roofs are recyclable. This allows metal roofs to be recycled in its entirety and sometimes reincarnated as another roof. This reduces the amount of raw materials used by builders each year. 1This is key as builders currently use 40% of the raw materials used globally each year.

Because metal roofing systems are up to one-third less heavy than normal roofs, metal roofs can be used by older buildings. This puts a lighter weight load on the structure. Metal can also be installed over roofing systems already in place, eliminating a roof removal and filling up more landfill space.

With the proven sustainability and additional fire protection the metal material provides, these roofing systems are safer than other roofing systems. Metal is a non-combustible material which provides additional fire protection and can hold its own against various severe weather conditions.

Energy efficiency is major reason why many consumers choose metal for their roofing. Metal roofing provides reflectivity which reduces energy costs and building operating costs, enhances asset value and profit, and increases roofing life-cycle. The reduction of air conditioning needed to cool the building leads to a reduction in smog and pollution created by the production of this energy.

Consumers, builders and architects give many different excuses to bypass using sustainable and energy efficient metal roofing systems to build. The Canadian and US governments have realized the importance of energy efficiency and the need to reduce pollution and smog by creating national incentive programs. These programs provide various monetary incentives for using energy efficient products which include metal roofing systems.

Green building and architecture is the future. Many governments are tightening building regulation in order to reduce the potential negative environmental impact o a structure. They have also made it easier to adjust to these building regulations through financial incentives. These practices do not exist solely to conserve the environment, but to also conserve public health by living and working in a clean environment.

[1] Statistic from sustainablebuilding.com

Welcome to the American Buildings Company’s new SmarTrax Microsite.  If you are anywhere near a television, newspaper or the internet, you can’t help but hear and read about companies going “green.”  Green is everywhere – from gigantic corporations using energy-efficient light bulbs to smaller businesses going completely paperless.  In our virtual world, there are many things a company and an individual can do to lessen their eco-foot print on the environment.             

Many factors have contributed to this increasingly popular “green” movement.  At American Buildings Company, we are now providing our Builders with energy-efficient building options through our innovative SmarTrax building systems program.  ABC is leading the industry with the institution of this program which will not only provide our Builders with state of the art materials, but will, at the same time, lessen our impact on the environment.   

When Builders utilize ABC’s new SmarTrax building systems, the end product will meet or exceed LEED and ASHRAE requirements for the design, construction, and operation of high performance, energy-efficient buildings. 

While the green movement is gaining momentum, American Buildings Company is distinguishing its efforts in this new initiative with the mantra of “Going Gold.”  More than just a marketing term, “Going Gold” encompasses ABC’s commitment to helping and providing our Builders with the easiest, most completely turnkey option for an energy-efficient building package. 

With our industry facing some of its most significant code changes in the past 10 years, ABC’s forward thinking and commitment to innovation will be more important than ever.  Instead of reacting to the coming changes, we are meeting them head on and helping our Builders “Build Tomorrow.”