Metal roofs have long been popular with architects for their dramatic appearance and long-term performance characteristics, particularly their low maintenance costs and durability. With the concept of sustainability now being widely embraced by the architectural community, metal roofs are being seen in a new light. Metal roofing can contribute significantly to the sustainable building movement.
Used as a guide toward environmental design, LEED (www.leedbuilding.org) uses a credit or point system to establish an overall building performance. Rating points are given for various sustainable features in five categories: building site; water efficiency; energy and atmosphere; materials and resources; and indoor environmental quality. Ratings are based on the number of points earned. For new construction, a building needs at least 52 points out of a total of 69 to reach the platinum level (the highest rating). In descending order, the other levels include gold (39 to 51 points), silver (33 to 38 points) and certified (26 to 32 points).