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Green roofs take root

The notion of green buildings and energy efficiency has brought roofing industry under the spotlight, which is pushing the industry to come up with new ideas and technology to achieve sustainability
Trends in roofing industryThe roofing industry is witnessing rapid transformation especially in the areas of materials used. According to Kaushal Kumar Gupta, Managing Director, Bansal Roofing, “Conventional roofs are being replaced with new available green roofing materials like variety of colour coated sheets, colour tiles aluminium sheets, etc. This is because these sheets have longevity and is also friendly to the environment. These roofing materials are environment conscious, add protection, value energy efficiency and give assurance of safety.”
“The trend of making a beautiful house and covering it with metal roofing is changed. Now the architects, engineers and users have started designing and building houses using insulated panels as their roofing option. Even panels with one side shingles have been a trend in the market,” says Joseph Mathew, Chairman at Prime Roofing.
Ronak Shah, Marketing Director, Zen Eco Home says, “We foresee major business developing in uPVC category because of the unique properties that it carries; some of them are heat insulation, chemical corrosion resistance, no weather corrosion and sound insulation.”
Concept of green roofingWith the increased focus on energy efficiency, the trend for green building is continuing to grow. Keeping pace with this, the demand for green products and solutions are also increasing which is creating a great opportunity for contractors who are prepared to deliver high performance. The focus on energy efficiency has impacted the roofing industry too. Roofing plays a major role in the construction of a building and in the rising era of energy efficiency, roofing companies have come up with advanced and sustainable roofing technologies. Green roofing is one such technology which has many benefits.
“Green roofing is a welcomed trend as we are looking for a better energy efficient future of green buildings,” says Mr Mathew.
Green roofing in IndiaGreen roofs are slowly gaining popularity and interest in India. Many green buildings in India are adopting the idea of roof. CII-Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre in Hyderabad is one of the first commercial buildings to have a large green roof.
Commenting on how the concept of green roofing catching up in India, Mr Gupta says, “The whole concept of green roofing is acceptable to people. However manufacturer, architects and engineers will have to put some more effort to explain the advantages of green roofing.”
AdvantagesTurning traditional rooftops into green spaces is not easy and cheap, but its benefits are great. Green roofs are not only a visual improvement over traditional roofs; they also provide many environmental benefits. “Green roofs are power saving, looks aesthetically pleasing, requires less maintenance, has a long life span and environment friendly,” Mr Gupta says.
Some of the advantages are:Reduced energy use: Green roofs reduce the heat flux through the roof, and less energy for cooling or heating can lead to cost savings. Studies show, with a green roof one could save up to 75 per cent of cooling costs and 25 per cent of heating costs.
Cost efficient: No doubt green roofs have many benefits but key question arises, are they cost- effective? Installation of a green roof requires a larger initial investment than a typical roof; a green roof will last 3-4 times longer than a typical roof. However, its significant long-term economical and environmental advantages justify the higher initial cost.
Commenting on the same, Mr Gupta says, “Initial cost may be little more but payback period is better. Also by using green roofing material we are giving something to ourselves and society as well.”
Future outlookOverall, green roofs are a very good investment for the future, and although they are quite expensive now, they are likely to become feasible and common. With the amount of pollution increasing in the atmosphere, Green roofing with its remarkable benefits can help build a sustainable future.
Green roofs are becoming increasingly common around the world and steadily gaining popularity in India too. It is the future of renewable energy.
The future of green roof looks excellent; however the concept is still in its infancy. As the awareness increases, the demand of green roof concept will increase. “One has to understand its importance and advantages,” observes Mr Gupta.

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