Types of Green Roofing Materials

Greener building products and processes are helping us to use our resources more wisely, even in new building projects. If you are looking to replace your roof or build a new home, ask what types of green roofing materials are available in your area. You may even receive tax benefits for doing so.

Recycled Materials

Recycled materials are everywhere these days, from plastics to metals. Each of these can be used in green roofing materials. Plastics can be made into roofing tiles. They are very lightweight and can be made to look like other types of material by adding texture and colorants. Steel and aluminum are extremely durable. Recycled paper and other natural fibers works well for insulation and lining for roofing materials.

Solar Panels

Solar panels tie in with your home's energy system to provide either additional power or to fully power your home. Today's solar panels can be made to look like regular roofing materials, but provide all of the same benefits as their predecessors.

Recovered Materials

Recovered materials include lumber, shingles and other types of roofing materials recovered from buildings that have been torn down or building projects that were never finished. These types of materials would have otherwise gone to waste, but instead you can incorporate them in your roofing project.

Green Lumber

Traditional lumber is just as common as ever, but newer green lumbers use scraps of wood and sometimes wood chips to form lighter, stronger building materials. These manufactured lumbers typically bond the wood together with either an epoxy or sometimes just heat and pressure to form usable lumber.