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Tag Archive: sustainable roofs

  1. Celebrating Earth Day with a Green Roof and Knickerbocker

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    With Earth Day 2013 here, we thought it is the perfect time to dive deeper into climate change and the real value of green roofs. In case you are not aware, each April 22nd more than a billion people across the globe take part in Earth Day. It is an opportunity for everyone to acknowledge how special our planet is and how much we need to keep it happy and healthy.

    One way you can help start the healing process is with the installation of a green roof. A green roof is what it sounds like: a roof that is covered with living (usually green) flora and fauna. The greenery is planted over a waterproof membrane that protects the interior of the building. Beyond aesthetic beauty, green roofs also offer up a number of other benefits including:

    • Storm water management
    • Filtering of water into storm systems
    • Moderation of the urban heat island effect
    • Improved air quality
    • Fire retardation
    • Noise reduction

    As you might expect, installing and properly maintaining a proper green roof is a challenge. Because of the risk of water leakage, constant and thorough inspection is necessary. One way that Knickerbocker helps maintain your green roof is by installing EVFM or Electronic Field Vector Mapping. This added system can alert building owners about critical leaks in the membrane before they become a major issue, and a leak is located without digging up large areas of your greenery. By installing EVFM, Knickerbocker saves green roof owners time, money, and the frustration of trying to find a needle in a haystack. We also offer a full system warranty that includes the greenery along with the roofing materials and EVFM.

    This April 22nd, join Knickerbocker Roof and take some time out to salute Earth and make the effort to think of ways you can help make the world a better place for all of us to live and thrive—starting with your roof.

  2. Sustainability and Roofing

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    What does sustainability mean to the roofing industry? Seems like a simple question, but it’s not so simple to answer. Different roof types impact the environment in different ways. When sustainability in roofing first became relevant, the thought immediately jumped to green roofs, which provide rainwater management while protecting the underlying materials, insulating the building, and offering an appealing aesthetic. White roofs, which reflect heat off the building and reduce the ”urban heat island” effect, have caught on as energy cost cutters in certain climates. However, their reflectance may be wasting the suns rays and increasing heating costs during winter months in colder regions, and controversy exists over whether they are a help or a hindrance to global warming.

    Of paramount importance to sustainability, then, is durability. A roof with a long service life requires replacement less often, which reduces the need for construction materials, saves the energy used to produce them, and avoids having to send discarded material to landfills. It is necessary, then, to consider a roof’s life cycle when opting for sustainability—ensure the roof is built properly and made to last. Choosing environmentally-friendly products, such as those that are recyclable and/or made from recycled products, are a good option if the material demonstrates acceptable longevity. Using natural materials, such as slate and tile, gives you a roof with a useful life upwards of 75 years. Ballast roofing, which can be replaced without affecting a structure’s insulation, is another option to consider. Additionally, new international building codes are requiring higher levels of insulation, in order to essentially reduce heating and cooling costs.

    So, you can see that there are many effective choices for adding a sustainable element to any roof. And when you’re planning your next roofing project, Knickerbocker Roofing is ready to help you select the right strategy to meet your sustainability goals.