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How do steel and metal roofs impact the bottom line of a building project? Energy conservation and building “green” is on the forefront of stake holders minds with increasing energy costs and decreasing profit margins. With those two factors involved it is very important to understand how steel and metal roofs impact both the environment and energy efficiency.
Steel roofs With the cost of gas continuing to rise energy savings is a top priority nationwide. Using materials that are both durable and easily recyclable is also critical when considering construction project designs. Steel is fast becoming the preferred choice for consumers, owners, and investors when new construction is being planned. Along with that a thermally efficient roof is key. A steel roof can qualify to that thermal efficiency standard because of its high reflectivity and emissivity values.
A steel roof’s ability to reflect sunlight is its reflectivity, emittance is a measure of the roof’s ability to release any absorbed heat. Depending on roof slope, most steel roof applications demonstrate relatively high reflectivity and emittance values (both painted and unpainted) and, as such, greatly enhance the thermal efficiency of the entire structure.
For painted steel roofs with darker colors (that tend to reflect less sunlight and have less emittance) “cool pigmentation” has been developed. Even though darker in tone these paints offer higher reflectivity values than their predecessors. Cool pigmentation has also allowed for a wider spectrum of roof colors to be developed that are both high in reflectivity and emittance values.
There are some other interesting facts about steel roofing that are also important to the “environmentally friendly” discussion. Regardless of the roof pitch steel roofing contains at least 25% of materials that have been recycled. Steel scrap has been undergoing recycling for over 150 years domestically. The number of scrap processors nationwide total close to 2,000.locations. Whenever the serviceable life of the roof or building has ended the materials in the roof are 100% recyclable. If this steel is recycled into new steel roofing and siding panels there is no inherent loss of quality.
Steel is also one of the lightest materials that can be used for a roof typically never exceeding one-hundred and thirty-five pounds per one hundred square feet while still maintaining a high strength to weight value. Steel roofing has consistently ranked higher in preference scales by consumers, owners, and investors versus aluminum, asphalt, and single-ply roof applications.
Commercial construction typically uses a twenty-six gauge steel for both the building walls and roof. This heavy-duty and durable thickness can allow the entire steel roof system to have a fifty year life span or more with very minimal maintenance,
The utilization of reflective steel roofing can almost cut in half hot weather cooling costs with the addition of premium insulation. Steel roofs that are rated as highly emissive can reduce the air temperatures in urban areas by over ten degrees Fahrenheit.
Studies have also shown that the application of a steel roof to a commercial or residential property can add almost a dollar fifty a square foot to the value of the building.
As technology improves steel will also continue to be refined into an even more durable construction material and an important member of the “building green” family. For more information about steel buildings or a Steel Building free quote, call Capital Steel Industries at 1-800-246-9640.
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