“Up on the Roof”

A few years ago, my sister and her husband had a new chimney and roof put on their duplex. I know it was a costly improvement to their home and one that could easily go unnoticed. Unlike the remodeling of a basement or a deck addition, the roof of a house might be considered an “unsung hero.” In use 24/7, 365 days a year, the only time it draws attention to itself is when it malfunctions.

That didn’t happen with my sister. Like a proud parent showing off a newborn, she made sure each visitor to their home had an opportunity to gaze upon their latest “additions.” And why not?

These days, the roof may be doing some of its own crowing. A couple of old-world practices with rooftops are making a resurgence: the grass roof and the painted white roof.

Both are considered to be very eco-friendly. A grass roof is a building rooftop that is partially or completely covered with soil and vegetation, laid atop a waterproof covering.

Both grass and white roofs can:

• reduce the urban heat island effect
• improve a roof’s insulation value, reducing heating and cooling loads on a building
• cut down on the use of fossil fuels

In addition, the painted white roof can:

• reflect sunlight back into space, helping to reduce global warming
• lenghten the life of the roof
• reduce sound reflectance and transmission

Read more about the history and use of grass roofs and the benefits of white roofs. Who knows? Maybe the next time my sister shows off her roof, she’ll have a rose garden to share as well.

TALK BACK: Have you heard of grass and/or white roofs? Is this something you would consider for your home? Post your comments below.

Posted by Sharon Walker

Tags: eco-friendly roof, grass roofs, painted white roofs, reduce global warming

This entry was posted on Monday, June 8th, 2009 at 6:00 am and is filed under Green Living. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.