The World's Best & Most Energy Efficient Roof Covering Materials

Green Roof System

• Although they might seem like a thing of science fiction, green roofing systems prove an effective way to keep in energy, and they are popular in many European countries. If your roof is flat, consider adding layers of soil to it and using it as a rooftop garden of sorts. As Energy Star reports, this rooftop vegetation layer is beneficial in many ways. The soil covering your roof makes it next to impossible for energy to escape through your roofing. This roof can also help cool in the summer as plants and trees will shade the roof. Because your roof must be sturdy and highly waterproof for this roofing option, you will likely have to reinforce your existing roofing with a layer of tar prior to adding soil.

Cool Roof

• Cool roofing is another alternative roofing option that is growing in popularity. This roofing is made of reflective sheets of metallic membrane that not only keep the rain out of the structure but also prevent the roof from overheating, as a black-tar roof may. This type of roofing is particularly popular in warmer climates, since it is intended predominantly to help keep structures cool. In Texas, for example, the Target corporation tested this roof on a retail store and found that the maximum roof temperature reached only 120 degree Fahrenheit, compared to 168 degrees Fahrenheit without the cool roofing.

Shingles Over Insulation

• Though standard shingles, a classic roofing choice, aren’t as energy efficient as other materials, those concerned about energy efficiency can still use this roofing option if they first install insulation. By placing a layer of rigid board insulation directly under shingles, home owners can make these roof coverings substantially more energy efficient.

Solar Panel Roofing

• Instead of allowing your roof to remain a source of energy loss, make it an energy gatherer. Some homeowners opt to cover their roofs almost entirely in solar panels, placing shingles or another traditional roofing underneath. These panels, which are hooked up to the household electrical system, pull power from the sun, saving on energy costs and reducing the amount of non-renewable energy consumed by your house.