Roofing In The News

Going Green

The City of San Francisco has set a goal to transition to 100% renewable energy. The city recently passed a mandate that all buildings 10 stories or higher must install solar panels on the roof. San Francisco is following in the footsteps of several other municipalities in California who are following a similar path to sustainable communities. The city believes that the 200 solar projects in the works will help avoid over 26,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year and would power about 2,500 San Francisco homes. More Info.

Stadium Innovation

In December 2010, the roof of the Metrodome, home of the Minnesota Vikings, collapsed in spectacular fashion after a huge snow storm.

This year, the new stadium will open with a roof innovation unlike any other stadium in the country. Instead of a retractable roof, the dome will be made of layers of translucent plastic material. The outer layer will reflect sun, while the inner layer will keep heat in. The materials are incredibly strong, allowing it to withstand the weight of snow and the steep roof pitch will allow the snow to slide easily off into designated areas. Since the roof is see-through, the audience can still watch flybys even in the depths of winter in complete comfort. More Info.

Combinations of Materials

Scientists from the Brunel University London have created a system that combines solar energy and photovoltaic cells for maximum efficiency. The system both generates electricity and heats water. To their surprise, the system is so efficient that the pipes can capture energy from dew evaporating off the roof. More Info.

Legislation

In 2012, the U.S. Senate passed the Energy Policy Modernization Act, which called for federal buildings to cut fossil fuel consumption in new and renovated buildings. This year, legislation has been proposed to repealed those targets. The American Institute of Architects issued a statement that architects across the country are already designing buildings that are “net zero” consumers of energy and that the goal is completely doable. According to government statistics, better designed buildings have already saved the country approximately $560 billion in energy costs since 2005. The President has already promised to veto the bill. It’s up to the U.S. to set the trends in energy savings and pass on a sustainable country to our children. More Info.