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Tag Archive: white roofs

  1. End-of-the-Year Recap: A Look Back at 2016

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    With the holidays upon us, we at Knickerbocker Roofing and Paving Co., Inc. are taking the time to look back on the past year’s accomplishments. To recap some of our most important news, we’ve highlighted blog posts that detail recent achievements and outline our commitment to sustainable, environmentally friendly roofing solutions. Take a look below:

    Blog Highlights

    Our Commitment to Sustainability

    As an advocate of green roofing systems, we thought it was important to share our knowledge on responsible building practices in honor of Earth Day this past year. In April’s blog post, we discussed the benefits of green roofs, or “living roofs,” which are partly or completely covered with a waterproof membrane, a growing medium, and vegetation. Besides providing an aesthetically pleasing, elegant but modern design, these roofs reduce energy consumption and improve water efficiency.

    In another post, we delved into the benefits of white roofs — roofs constructed from white materials with reflective coatings. Common materials include polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO). These materials push back solar rays and help keep the roof — and therefore the interior of the structure — cooler during hot months.

    Keeping People Safe Across Industries

    At Knickerbocker, we’re serious about client safety and are committed to providing reliable, practical solutions for all types of industries. For instance, we have extensive experience providing school roof inspections, repairs, and installations; in our August post, we encouraged schools to contact us for a free consultation in order to prevent issues and safety hazards during the school year. And if things do go wrong, we have a 24/7 emergency service hotline to address issues around the clock.

    During National Safety Month in June, we outlined the steps we take to provide optimal fall protection. Utilizing the OSHA Fall Protection in Construction guidelines, we continually improve our safety procedures and invest in the highest-quality fall prevention and protection equipment. As a participant in National Safety Month and OSHA Stand Down, we conduct regular safety meeting, discuss job hazards with employees daily, and hold an annual safety training program for all workers.

    Looking to 2017

    As the year draws to a close, we at Knickerbocker are evaluating 2016’s successes, and, as always, are looking for new ways to improve our processes and better serve our clients. We hope everyone has a great holiday season and a happy new year. We’ll see you here in 2017!

    For the latest on roofing industry updates follow us on our Twitter and LinkedIn accounts!

  2. Earth Day Prompts Us to Save Energy

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    April 22nd is the worldwide celebration of Earth Day which reminds us all of the importance of taking actions that save energy, the climate, and the Earth. This year marks the 46th anniversary of the movement that spurred us into action to tackle environmental issues in all parts of our lives.

    A basic campaign of the Earth Day Network is to create green cities so we can live more sustainable lives. Using green building materials to encourage energy efficiency is a strategy for reducing energy consumption in buildings by 30-80%. An area where this can have a dramatic impact is in roofing materials. White roofs (also known as cool roofs) are made from reflective materials that reduce heat transfer to the surface. This keeps the heat from penetrating to the interior of the building, reducing the amount of air conditioning needed to cool the building in the summer. White roofs are beneficial to green cities by reducing local air temperatures and lowering electricity demand and energy generation. In hotter climates these roofs reduce urban heat and keep buildings cooler at night unlike black top, pavement, or dark roofing materials that absorb heat during the day and cool down very slowly after sunset.

    The material used in white roofs can be made from materials that are white in color or materials that have been coated to be reflective. Some ideal materials include EPDM which is a rubber roofing material used on flat and low-slope roofs and is available in white; PNC roofing which is reflective and can provide energy efficiency, and thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) which is growing in acceptance. All of these materials push back the solar rays keeping the roof cooler on scorching hot days.

    Knickerbocker has been involved with many green roofing installations and our specialty roofing capabilities will improve LEED certifications and help create green cities, reduce energy consumption, and be environmentally conscious. Contact us to learn more about white roofs and how they can improve your building’s performance today.

  3. 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.