This month’s focus on metal in Roofing Contractor gives me a great opportunity to take a look at the sustainability of one of our oldest roofing systems. Well before anyone started talking about green construction, metal roofing was delivering sustainable benefits to buildings across the globe. Few construction materials are as recyclable as metal, and the total recycled content of metal roof panels is among the highest available. In terms of durability and service life, perhaps only slate and tile are in the same league. Today’s metal roof finishes offer cool roof options in a wide variety of colors, and the standing ribs of many metal roof systems offer an easy and simple means of attaching PV and solar thermal modules. Add in the ability to direct and store rain water and resist fire threats, and you pretty much check all the boxes for sustainable roofing.
But I think there’s one more sustainable feature of metal that deserves attention, and that is the contribution made by the roofing contractor in delivering sustainable metal roofing to the market. Although many factory-produced panels are available, the majority of metal roofs installed on commercial buildings and residences throughout North America feature field-formed panels made under the supervision of a local roofing contractor. And from my jobsite observations, today’s roofing contractors deliver real value in achieving sustainability — both in the roofs they construct and the industry they support.