When people in the greater Los Angeles area think of going green, they frequently think of changing their lifestyle toward becoming more environmentally agreeable. When it comes to the phrase “green roofs” though, people generally think of any kind of roof that is environmentally responsible. But the fact is that green roofs are a special type of eco roof that incorporates plants and other organic things. The terms might be a little misleading, but the goals are the same: to change the current mindset in the construction field to become more conscience of mankinds effect on the planet.
The push to forge new eco roof materials has yielded some excellent new products for all classes of desired looks. For those that desire the affluent look of legendary castles and cathedrals, there are various types of eco slate roofing materials. Eco slate roofing materials look just like a classic slate roof, except they use less slate and they give the building owner excellent savings on their utility costs.
Eco metal roofing materials are similar to other forms of metal roofs, with some exceptions; eco metal uses recycled materials, and they are coated with special treatments that reflect the heat from the hot Southern California sun away from the center of the edifice. These cool roof coatings can help to save into 50% on the typical utility expenses associated with keeping a building air conditioned.
Then there are eco wood shake roofing materials that are made with recycled wood and plastic, but when finished look a lot like standard wood shingles. The great thing about eco wood shake roofing materials is that they do not have to be treated for fire protection. These wood shakes are manufactured with a class A fire rating and a class 4 impact rating, which is the highest rating any kind of roofing material can get.
As far as green roofs go, this form of roof design is found to really take off in this current push to find ways to live in harmony with nature. If every commercial structure in Southern California installed green roofs, not only would it cut energy usage, it would also start to improve the air quality for the whole state.
Because green roofs convert the regularly black rooftops of commercial buildings into lush gardens, these roofs can then be used for simple rooftop park space or used for other things. Some savvy commercial structure owners have taken their green roofs and leased out to bio-tech firms or even nurseries, which adds to the overall revenue for the commercial structure as a whole.
The best part about all of these environmentally responsible roofs is that they qualify for fantastic tax credits. The federal government and the state of California have been handing out tax incentives to building owners that go green. There are even some communities in the greater Los Angeles area that also offer some incentives to commercial building owners that add energy saving designs into their structures.
